Trump suggests Ukraine holds responsibility for war amid peace talks

Wednesday 19 February 2025 - 07:35

The United States President Donald Trump has suggested that Ukraine bears responsibility for the ongoing war, criticizing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while discussing potential peace negotiations.

Speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump stated that Ukraine should have prevented the conflict by making a deal with Russia. His remarks came after U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia for negotiations on ending the war. Trump dismissed concerns that Ukraine was excluded from these talks, saying, “You’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it… You should have never started it.”

Trump also revealed his intention to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming he is optimistic about brokering a peace deal. He praised discussions led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, noting that Russia seems willing to stop the war’s violence.

When asked about supporting Russian-backed elections in Ukraine as part of a peace deal, Trump alleged—without evidence—that Zelenskyy had low public support. He pointed out that elections in Ukraine have been suspended under martial law.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has insisted that Ukraine must be involved in any peace agreement and criticized the idea of negotiations occurring “behind our backs.” His remarks followed talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, emphasizing that no resolution should exclude Kyiv’s input.

At the Riyadh meeting, U.S. and Russian officials agreed to form high-level teams to explore an end to the war. However, European leaders remain divided on potential outcomes. While U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have signaled openness to deploying peacekeeping forces, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected such discussions before a formal agreement. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also ruled out sending troops.

Trump, while expressing support for European peacekeepers, indicated that the U.S. military would not take part. “If they want to do that, that’s great,” he stated.

The discussions are set to continue in France, where European leaders will attempt to establish a unified position on the issue.