By Krishika Dinesh Rathod
Donald Trump has targeted Ukraine after its President, Volodymyr Zelensky, claimed it was a “surprise” that his country had not been invited to negotiations in Saudi Arabia to end the conflict with Russia, adding he was “disappointed” by Ukraine’s attitude.
He appeared to blame the country for initiating the war, adding it “could have made a deal” sooner. The war in Ukraine began nearly three years ago with a full-scale Russian invasion.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh for the first high-level, face-to-face meetings between the two countries since the invasion, agreeing to form teams to begin negotiating the conclusion of the conflict.
Lavrov stated that his country would not accept peacekeeping soldiers from NATO countries in Ukraine as part of any peace settlement, a proposal made at a meeting of NATO European members on Monday in Paris.
European Nato states, who remain committed to assisting Ukraine against Russia, have been smarting at being marginalized by Trump’s unilateral peace initiative, which altered the strongly pro-Ukraine policy of his predecessor in office, Joe Biden.
Zelensky accused the Russian delegation in Riyadh of lying after “the infamous meeting” – to which Ukraine was not invited – and stated that Russia could not be trusted and “must be pressured for peace.” When asked by BBC News what his message was to Ukrainians who may feel betrayed, Trump responded, “I hear that they’re upset about not having a seat, well, they’ve had a seat for three years and I could have made a deal for Ukraine,” stated the president. “That would have given them almost all of the land, everything, almost all of the land – and no people would have been killed, and no city would have been demolished.”
Trump stated that he felt “much more confident” following the summit in Riyadh. Despite Trump’s confidence in the Riyadh summit, many analysts remain skeptical about the feasibility of a peace deal that excludes Ukraine from negotiations. Experts argue that any lasting resolution must involve direct dialogue with Kyiv, as Ukraine remains the primary party affected by the war. European leaders, too, have voiced concerns over a settlement that could potentially compromise Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Meanwhile, inside Ukraine, citizens continue to endure the consequences of war, with ongoing missile strikes and escalating humanitarian crises. The lack of Ukrainian representation in critical talks has only intensified fears that the country’s future may be decided by external powers without its direct involvement.