Trump: Russia Holds the Advantage in Ukraine Peace Talks
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Russia holds the upper hand in any negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, asserting that Moscow has "taken a lot of territory."
Speaking to the BBC aboard Air Force One, Trump stated his belief that Russia wants to end the war, which it initiated nearly three years ago with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"I think the Russians want to see the war end, I really do. I think they have the cards a little bit, because they've taken a lot of territory. They have the cards," Trump said.
His comments came after he attended a Saudi-backed investment meeting in Florida, where he twice referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "dictator"—once in his speech and again in a post on Truth Social.
Trump’s remarks were sparked by Zelensky’s reaction to U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, from which Ukraine was excluded. In response to the meeting, Zelensky accused Trump of "living in a disinformation space" controlled by Moscow.
A White House official defended Trump’s remarks, arguing they were a response to Zelensky’s "disinformation" accusations.
During his speech in Florida, Trump criticized Zelensky, saying, "He refuses to have elections. He’s low in the real Ukrainian polls. How can you be high with every city being demolished?"
Zelensky’s five-year presidential term was originally set to expire in May 2024. However, since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has been under martial law, which has suspended elections.
Trump has also attempted to cast doubt on Zelensky’s popularity, claiming that the Ukrainian leader has only a 4% approval rating. However, BBC Verify reports that a recent poll found 57% of Ukrainians trust their president.
Trump’s "dictator" remark drew swift criticism from European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who dismissed the claim as "simply wrong and dangerous." UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also reaffirmed his support for Zelensky during a phone call with the Ukrainian leader.
Meanwhile, U.S. and Russian officials held their first high-level, face-to-face talks since the invasion, with Ukraine notably absent from the discussions. Following the meeting, Trump appeared to place blame on Ukraine, stating, "You should have never started it. You could have made a deal."
Zelensky strongly rejected this narrative, accusing Russia of spreading falsehoods regarding the high-level talks. "With all due respect to President Donald Trump as a leader... he is living in this disinformation space," the Ukrainian president said.
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