Trump blames Ukraine for missing peace opportunity after U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia

U.S. President Donald Trump voiced his disappointment with Ukraine after attending a pivotal meeting with Russia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

The meeting, which took place on Tuesday, aimed to discuss how to bring an end to the nearly three-year-long war in Ukraine.

Notably, no representatives from Ukraine were present during the talks, a move that left Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky frustrated and calling the exclusion "unexpected."

President Trump, however, seemed to have a different take. Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after the talks, Trump shared his thoughts with the media, highlighting that the war could have been stopped long ago. 

"I’m actually disappointed. I’ve been watching what’s happening here for three years. This war should not have been the topic of discussion for the U.S. president... They are disappointed about not being part of the talks, but the opportunity has been open to them for the past three years. This war could have easily been stopped," Trump stated.

The meeting in Riyadh was the first time since the outbreak of the Ukraine war that Russian and American officials sat down face-to-face to talk about peace. 

The discussions were attended by high-profile figures such as U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Russian President‍‍`s aide Yuri Ushakov, and the head of Russia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, Kirill Dmitriev. 

Following the discussions, both nations announced that they had agreed to form a committee to negotiate a ceasefire, bringing hope to many who have been longing for an end to the violence.

However, despite the positive outlook, there were still some sticking points. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made it clear that Russia would not accept any peace deal that involved NATO troops being deployed in Ukraine. 

"The presence of armed forces under any other flag would not change the matter. This is absolutely unacceptable," Lavrov firmly stated. 

He also stressed that both countries would be appointing envoys to enhance cooperation as soon as possible.

Lavrov wasn’t the only one feeling optimistic. President Trump expressed a growing confidence in the progress made during the meeting, saying, "The meeting was productive. Russia wants to do something. They want to end this terrible brutality." 

He also added, "I believe I have the ability to end this war," underscoring his intent to play a critical role in resolving the conflict.

In response to a question about whether European nations might send troops to Ukraine, Trump showed no objections. "If they want to do it, that’s great! I fully support it," he remarked.

While these talks were unfolding in Riyadh, European leaders had gathered in Paris the day before for their own emergency meeting. They discussed how to respond to the closer ties between Russia and the U.S., but they failed to reach a unified position. 

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stressed the need for U.S. support in any peace agreement, saying it would ensure Russia could not launch another attack. 

He also mentioned that the U.K. was considering the possibility of sending British troops to Ukraine.

Germany‍‍`s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, however, dismissed the idea, stating that it was "completely unnecessary" to discuss sending troops at this stage. 

Italy’s Georgia Meloni, who attended Trump‍‍`s inauguration and is one of the European leaders involved, also questioned the effectiveness of deploying European forces. 

She said at the Paris meeting, "Deploying European troops to Ukraine to bring peace would be the most complicated and least effective option."

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted the need to involve the European Union in the discussions, considering their current sanctions on Russia. 

He also reassured that no one was being "left out" of the peace process, despite Ukraine‍‍`s absence from the Riyadh meeting.

Back in Ukraine, President Zelensky seemed visibly worn out during a press conference in Turkey. 

Clearly frustrated by the turn of events, he said, "We want everything to be fair, and no one should make any decisions while keeping us in the dark." 

He emphasized that a solution to the conflict cannot be reached without Ukraine’s involvement, stressing, "A decision to end the war in Ukraine cannot be made without Ukraine."

The meeting in Riyadh has set the stage for potentially major developments in the ongoing war, but there’s still a long road ahead. 

As Rubio noted, "All sides will have to make some concessions. We won’t pre-determine what those will be. Today is the first step in a long and difficult journey, but it’s important."

With the possibility of forming a negotiation committee, Russia and the U.S. have taken the first steps toward peace, but the absence of Ukraine from these discussions raises concerns about how inclusive and effective these talks can be moving forward.