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President Donald Trump has criticised Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying he was “disappointed” that the Ukrainian leader complained about being left out of talks between the US and Russia over ending the Ukraine war.
Trump also seemed to blame Kyiv for Moscow’s invasion – even as he said he was more confident of a deal to end the war after US-Russia talks – claiming Ukraine could have “made a deal” to avert war.
“I’m very disappointed, I hear that they’re upset about not having a seat [at the talks],” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when asked about the Ukrainian reaction. The US president said a “half baked” negotiator could have secured a settlement years ago “without the loss of much land”.
“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.
Speaking in Florida on Tuesday night, Trump increased pressure on Zelenskyy to hold elections – echoing one of Moscow’s key demands.
The US president also suggested that he could meet Russian President Vladimir Putin before the end of the month as Washington overhauls its stance towards Russia in a shift that has alarmed European leaders.
Zelenskyy had earlier on Tuesday criticised the US-Russia talks for excluding Kyiv, saying efforts to end the war must be “fair” and involve European countries, while postponing his own trip to Saudi Arabia, where the US-Russia talks took place.
Talks “are taking place between representatives of Russia and representatives of the United States of America. About Ukraine – about Ukraine again – and without Ukraine,” he said.
The Ukrainian president’s comments appeared to anger Trump, who proceeded to launch a series of attacks on Zelenskyy, who has led Kyiv’s fight against Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
Asked whether the US would support Russia’s demands to force Zelenskyy to hold new elections as part of any deal, Trump said: “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.
“That’s not a Russian thing, that’s something coming from me, from other countries.
“We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have essentially martial law in Ukraine, where the leader in Ukraine – I mean, I hate to say it, but he’s down at 4% approval rating – and where a country has been blown to smithereens. Most of the cities are laying on their sides. The buildings are collapsed. It looks like a massive demolition site.”
In an interview with German public broadcaster ARD aired on Tuesday, Zelenskyy defended his popularity, saying: “I’m president of Ukraine because 73% of people voted for me. And today I’m president because the majority in my country support me. I’m a patriot, just like the people defending our country.
“Of course Russia wants to get rid of me. Maybe not physically any longer, like they did at the beginning of the war but politically. And that’s absolutely understandable as I’m a very uncomfortable person, uncomfortable for Putin.”
Zelensky was elected in 2019 for a five-year term, but has remained in office as Ukraine is still under martial law.
Sean Savett, who was spokesperson for the White House National Security Council under then president Joe Biden, said in a social media post: “Sounds like Trump bought Putin’s propaganda hook, line, and sinker.
“A reminder no one should need: Putin started the war by invading Ukraine unprovoked and his forces have committed war crimes against the Ukrainian people. Russia is the party responsible for this war continuing.”
European leaders are increasingly fearful that Trump is giving too many concessions to Russia in his pursuit of the Ukraine deal that he promised to seal even before taking office. But Trump insisted that his only goal was “peace” to end the largest land war in Europe since the second world war.
Trump said he was “much more confident” of a deal after the talks, adding: “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,” Trump said.
The US leader added that he was “all for” European peacekeepers in Ukraine if he can strike a deal to end the war. “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,” added Trump, saying that Britain had made a similar offer. The US would not have to contribute “because, you know, we’re very far away”, he said.
His comments came after Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said his country would not accept Nato peacekeeping forces in Ukraine under any peace deal.
Trump stunned the world when he announced last week that he had spoken to Putin, and that the two leaders had agreed to start peace talks and to travel to meet each other in Moscow and Washington.
The US president then said they would hold a first meeting, most likely also in Saudi Arabia. Although no date has been announced, when asked if he would met Putin before the end of the month, Trump said “probably”.
Meanwhile, European officials urged the US not to side with Moscow. Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, tweeted: “Together with European Foreign Ministers, I spoke to [US secretary of state Marco Rubio] after his talks in Riyadh. Russia will try to divide us. Let’s not walk into their traps. By working together with the US, we can achieve a just and lasting peace – on Ukraine’s terms.”
With Agence France-Presse
