United States President Donald Trump took aim at Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, effectively blaming him for Moscow’s invasion, even as he expressed increased confidence in brokering a deal to end the war following US-Russia talks.
Trump escalated pressure on Zelensky to hold elections—aligning with one of Moscow’s key demands—and chastised the Ukrainian president for complaining about being excluded from negotiations in Saudi Arabia.
The US president also suggested he could meet Russian President Vladimir Putin before the end of the month, signaling a shift in Washington’s approach to Russia that has raised concerns among European leaders.
“I’m very disappointed, I hear that they’re upset about not having a seat,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when asked about Ukraine’s reaction.
“Today I heard, ‘oh, well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years… You should have never started it. You could have made a deal,” he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Zelensky had criticized the US-Russia talks for excluding Kyiv, insisting that any effort to end the war must be “fair” and involve European countries. His comments coincided with the postponement of his planned trip to Saudi Arabia.
Trump, seemingly incensed by Zelensky’s remarks, launched a series of attacks against the Ukrainian leader, who has spearheaded Kyiv’s defense against Russia’s invasion since February 2022.
When asked whether the United States would support Russia’s demand for Zelensky to hold new elections as part of a peace deal, Trump responded by questioning Zelensky’s approval ratings.
“They want a seat at the table, but you could say… wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have a say? It’s been a long time since we’ve had an election,” Trump said.
“That’s not a Russian thing, that’s something coming from me, from other countries.”
Zelensky was elected in 2019 for a five-year term but has remained in office under martial law as Ukraine continues to resist Russia’s aggression.
European leaders are growing increasingly apprehensive that Trump may be offering excessive concessions to Russia in his push for a Ukraine peace deal, a pledge he made even before assuming office.
However, Trump maintained that his sole objective was achieving “peace” to bring an end to Europe’s largest land war since World War II.
Following the talks, Trump expressed optimism about reaching a resolution. “I’m much more confident of a deal after the talks,” he said. “They were very good. Russia wants to do something. They want to stop the savage barbarianism.”
“I think I have the power to end this war, and I think it’s going very well,” he added.
Trump also signaled support for the deployment of European peacekeepers in Ukraine if an agreement is reached.
“If they want to do that, that’s great, I’m all for it,” he said.
“I know France was willing to do that, and I thought that was a beautiful gesture,” he added, noting that Britain had made a similar offer.
The US, however, would not be involved. “Because, you know, we’re very far away,” Trump remarked.
Last week, Trump shocked the international community when he revealed that he had spoken with Putin and that both leaders had agreed to initiate peace talks, with plans to meet in Moscow and Washington.
He later stated that their first meeting would most likely take place in Saudi Arabia.
Although no official date has been set, when asked if he would meet Putin before the end of the month, Trump responded, “probably.”
