Trump Takes Aim at Zelensky While Pushing Pro-Russia Talking Points on Ukraine

President Donald Trump took a swipe at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, just as U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Notably, Ukraine was left out of the discussions.

Zelensky has remained firm, stating that Ukraine will not “give in to Russia’s ultimatums” and that any agreement made without Kyiv’s involvement is off the table.

Meanwhile, Trump—speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort—praised the talks, calling them “very good” and suggesting that Russia “wants to do something.”

Trump’s Key Remarks:

Meeting with Putin: Trump stated he would “probably” meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the end of February. This comes after the two leaders held a 90-minute phone call last week. Trump also indicated another meeting with Putin could take place in Saudi Arabia.

False claims on the war: Trump pushed a debunked claim that Ukraine initiated the war with Russia. “You should’ve ended it after three years. You should’ve never started it. You could’ve made a deal,” he said while discussing Ukraine’s exclusion from the Saudi talks. He also suggested he could have brokered a deal that “would have given them almost all of the land… and no people would have been killed.”

Pushing Russian talking points on Ukrainian elections: Echoing a Kremlin narrative, Trump implied Ukraine should hold elections, despite the country being under martial law due to the Russian invasion. “Wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have to say, like, it’s been a long time since we’ve had an election?” he remarked.

European peacekeepers: Trump signaled approval for European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine. “If they want to do that, that’s great. I’m all for it,” he said. However, he made it clear that U.S. participation was not on the table, adding, “because we’re very far away.”

Saudi Arabia negotiations: Despite Ukraine’s absence, U.S. and Russian officials agreed on four key principles during the talks in Saudi Arabia, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This includes forming a high-level team to help negotiate a resolution “acceptable to all the parties engaged.”

Republican Lawmakers Push Back:

Not everyone in the GOP is on board with Trump’s approach.

Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker stated that Putin cannot be trusted in negotiations, calling him a “war criminal” who should be jailed “for the rest of his life, if not executed.”

Sen. John Kennedy took an even harsher stance: “Vladimir Putin has a black heart. He clearly has Stalin’s taste for blood,” he said, adding that he “wouldn’t cry” if Putin were executed.

With Trump once again aligning himself with Moscow’s rhetoric, his stance on Ukraine is likely to remain a major flashpoint heading into election season.