You should have never started it, could have made a deal: Trump blames Ukraine for Russia conflict

You should have never started it, could have made a deal: Trump blames Ukraine for Russia conflict

US President Donald Trump has expressed disappointment over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s criticism of recent U.S.-Russia talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Trump, who suggested Kyiv could have "made a deal" to avoid the war, also hinted at potential discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the near future, The Guardian reports.

Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said he was "very disappointed" that Zelenskyy was upset about being excluded from the negotiations, adding that a "half-baked" negotiator could have secured a settlement years ago "without the loss of much land."

“I’m very disappointed, I hear that they’re upset about not having a seat [at the talks],” Trump remarked as per The Guardian. “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.”

Trump’s comments come as he increases pressure on Kyiv to hold elections, a demand that aligns with Moscow’s stance. He also suggested that he might meet with Putin before the end of the month, signalling a significant shift in Washington’s approach to the war that has left European leaders concerned.

Zelenskyy, who had criticised the U.S.-Russia discussions for excluding Ukraine, emphasised that efforts to end the war must be "fair" and involve European countries. He postponed a planned visit to Saudi Arabia, where the negotiations took place, to address the issue.

“Talks are taking place between representatives of Russia and representatives of the United States of America. About Ukraine – about Ukraine again – and without Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

Trump appeared angered by Zelenskyy’s comments, responding with a series of attacks on the Ukrainian leader’s handling of the war. When asked whether the U.S. would support Russia’s call for Ukraine to hold elections, Trump, as per The Guardian, stated, “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,” he continued. “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 a separate interview with German public broadcaster ARD, Zelenskyy defended his leadership, 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,” Zelenskyy added.

Under Ukrainian law, Zelenskyy’s five-year term, which began in 2019, has been extended due to martial law conditions, preventing an election.