Trump conveys dissatisfaction with Ukraine
US President Donald Trump expressed his "disappointment" with Kiev regarding its grievances about not being included in discussions in Saudi Arabia.
TroibNews 
US President Donald Trump has voiced his discontent with Ukraine's leadership regarding its grievances about not being invited to the US-Russia peace talks in Saudi Arabia. He suggested that Ukraine has missed multiple chances to resolve the conflict independently over the years.
During a press briefing following high-level discussions in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump was asked if he had any words for Ukrainians who might feel "betrayed or disappointed" about their absence from the negotiations.
“I’m really disappointed in what’s happened. I’ve been watching this for three years… I hear that, you know, they’re upset about not having a seat. Well, they’ve had a seat for three years and a long time before that,” Trump stated.
He remarked that the conflict "could have been settled very easily."
“A half-baked negotiator could have settled this years ago without the loss of much land, very little land. Without the loss of any lives and without the loss of cities,” he added.
When asked whether the US would support elections in Ukraine, Trump suggested that the country's leadership should reflect on the matter. “Wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have to say, like, you know, it’s been a long time since we’ve had an election?”
Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that Volodymyr Zelensky's approval rating is 4%. It's worth noting that Zelensky’s presidential term concluded last May, and he has opted against holding new elections due to the ongoing martial law. Russia regards Zelensky as "illegitimate" and acknowledges the parliament and its speaker as the only rightful authority in Ukraine.
Trump's comments follow US-Russia discussions in Saudi Arabia, where both nations characterized the interactions as constructive. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated that both delegations collaborated "quite successfully" to improve relations.
There was an agreement to restore embassy staffing after years of reciprocal diplomatic expulsion measures, as well as the establishment of teams to seek a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that addressing the sanctions imposed on Russia would be essential for a sustainable resolution.
Zelensky emphasized that Kiev—excluded from the talks—"views any negotiations about Ukraine that are being held without Ukraine as having no results." He firmly stated that his country would reject any ultimatums that could emerge from the Riyadh discussions.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
During a press briefing following high-level discussions in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump was asked if he had any words for Ukrainians who might feel "betrayed or disappointed" about their absence from the negotiations.
“I’m really disappointed in what’s happened. I’ve been watching this for three years… I hear that, you know, they’re upset about not having a seat. Well, they’ve had a seat for three years and a long time before that,” Trump stated.
He remarked that the conflict "could have been settled very easily."
“A half-baked negotiator could have settled this years ago without the loss of much land, very little land. Without the loss of any lives and without the loss of cities,” he added.
When asked whether the US would support elections in Ukraine, Trump suggested that the country's leadership should reflect on the matter. “Wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have to say, like, you know, it’s been a long time since we’ve had an election?”
Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that Volodymyr Zelensky's approval rating is 4%. It's worth noting that Zelensky’s presidential term concluded last May, and he has opted against holding new elections due to the ongoing martial law. Russia regards Zelensky as "illegitimate" and acknowledges the parliament and its speaker as the only rightful authority in Ukraine.
Trump's comments follow US-Russia discussions in Saudi Arabia, where both nations characterized the interactions as constructive. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated that both delegations collaborated "quite successfully" to improve relations.
There was an agreement to restore embassy staffing after years of reciprocal diplomatic expulsion measures, as well as the establishment of teams to seek a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that addressing the sanctions imposed on Russia would be essential for a sustainable resolution.
Zelensky emphasized that Kiev—excluded from the talks—"views any negotiations about Ukraine that are being held without Ukraine as having no results." He firmly stated that his country would reject any ultimatums that could emerge from the Riyadh discussions.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
