President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that Ukraine was to blame for Russia’s 2022 invasion, arguing that Kyiv could have negotiated a deal to prevent the war. His remarks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed frustration over being excluded from U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.
“You should have never started it,” Trump said, directly addressing Ukraine while speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort. “I think I have the power to end this war, and I think it’s going very well. But 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 further claimed that, had he been in charge, he could have secured an agreement that would have prevented bloodshed.
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“I could have made a deal for Ukraine 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, and not one dome would have been knocked down. But they chose not to do it that way,” Trump stated.
Ukraine Reacts as U.S. and Russia Agree to Reopen Embassies
Trump’s remarks came on the same day U.S. and Russian officials met in Riyadh and agreed to re-establish embassy staffing, marking a shift from previous U.S. policy, which sought to isolate Moscow over its actions in Ukraine. Zelenskyy, speaking earlier in the day, expressed frustration at his country’s exclusion from the negotiations.
“Ukraine did not know anything about it,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to Trump’s remarks.
Trump’s Stance Raises Concerns Over U.S. Support for Ukraine
Trump’s comments reinforce his ongoing criticism of Zelenskyy and his sympathetic tone toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. Last week, Trump revealed that he had spoken directly with Putin about ending the war, further fueling speculation about his stance on the conflict.
The former president also criticized Zelenskyy when asked whether the U.S. would support new elections in Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal with Russia.
“When they want a seat at the table, you could say the people have to—wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have to say, like, ‘You know, it’s been a long time since we’ve had an election’? That’s not a Russia thing. That’s something coming from me and coming from many other countries also,” Trump said.
Ukraine last held a presidential election in 2019, but voting has been postponed due to martial law and the ongoing conflict.
Trump’s latest remarks have sparked fresh controversy over his foreign policy approach, particularly as he positions himself for a potential return to the White House in 2025. His statements come at a critical moment for Ukraine, which continues to rely on Western support to sustain its defense against Russian aggression.
