In a significant diplomatic development, the United States and Russia have initiated negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. Former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday that Russia is willing to put an end to the "barbarianism" that has marked the prolonged conflict.
During a press briefing at the White House, Trump emphasized the urgency of finding a resolution, stating, "Russia wants to do something. They want to stop the barbarianism that’s going on over there. Soldiers are being killed by the thousands every week. Apart from Russian and Ukrainian soldiers, many Koreans have also lost their lives. We want to put an end to this."
Trump’s Take on the War
Trump, who has consistently criticized U.S. foreign policy under the Biden administration, asserted that the war in Ukraine would never have started had he been in office. "It's a senseless war. It should have never happened. It would have never happened if I were President," he remarked.
The former president also addressed Ukraine's absence from the ongoing talks, responding to concerns about Kyiv's exclusion from negotiations. “Today I heard, ‘Oh, well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been at war for three years. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal earlier,” Trump said.
US-Russia Talks in Riyadh: A Step Toward Peace?
The diplomatic discussions began on Tuesday at the Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the first official high-level engagement between the U.S. and Russia since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The negotiations involved U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who agreed to establish high-level teams dedicated to exploring a pathway to end the war as soon as possible.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, a select group of European nations may also be invited to participate in future rounds of talks, particularly those enforcing sanctions against Russia.
Ukraine Criticizes Talks, Calls for Inclusion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly criticized the U.S. and Russia for holding negotiations without Ukraine’s direct participation. “Any agreement reached without Ukraine's involvement is illegitimate. We will not accept any decision that undermines our sovereignty,” Zelenskyy said in a public address.
The Ukrainian government maintains that peace can only be achieved through direct talks involving Kyiv, rather than deals brokered exclusively between major world powers.
What’s Next? Trump-Putin Meeting in the Works
While reports indicate that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin may meet before the end of the month, Russian foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov noted that finalizing a date for the potential meeting remains "difficult."
The developments in Riyadh mark a crucial step in diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the Ukraine war, but with Ukraine's exclusion from talks and uncertainties surrounding future negotiations, the path to peace remains far from certain.
