President Donald Trump has shifted blame for the ongoing war in Ukraine to the country itself, suggesting that it could have negotiated peace much earlier. His comments come in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s surprise at his country’s exclusion from recent peace talks in Saudi Arabia.
Trump expressed disappointment over Ukraine’s reaction, asserting that “you should have never started it.” This statement echoes claims frequently made by the Kremlin, which has insisted that Ukraine instigated the conflict that led to a full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
In a press conference, Trump contended that Ukraine had three years to end the hostilities since the invasion began, dismissing concerns from Zelensky and others. “That says a lot when you think of where we started,” Trump stated, suggesting that the conflict could’ve been resolved much sooner.
Zelensky, visibly concerned about the implications of Trump’s statements, emphasized that any negotiation regarding peace must involve Ukraine. He stated from the Munich Security Conference, “You cannot make decisions without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine.”
Trump also made claims about Zelensky’s approval rating, stating it had fallen to “4%,” although he provided no source for this figure. Accurate polling in wartime is challenging, but recent surveys by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicated that around 57% of Ukrainians trusted Zelensky, down from 90% in May 2022.
Amid the controversy, Trump’s narrative seemed to reflect Russian propaganda, which has fixed on discrediting Zelensky’s legitimacy since the start of the conflict.
In the backdrop, talks in Riyadh between U.S. officials and Russian representatives pointedly omitted Ukrainian involvement, raising issues of representation in discussions about their future.
Overall, Trump’s remarks have ignited criticism from numerous Ukrainian officials and supporters, emphasizing the urgent need for Ukraine to be included in any meaningful peace negotiations while questioning the reliability of U.S. support in the evolving geopolitical landscape.
Credit: BBC News
