President Donald Trump mentioned Thursday that he skipped the Russian-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul and would downplay the choice of Russian President Vladimir Putin not current.
The president was urgent Putin and Ukrainian President Voldimi Zelenki to satisfy in Istanbul. But talking at a enterprise roundtable with Doha executives as a part of the realm’s four-day tour, Trump mentioned he wasn’t doing it as a consequence of a battle schedule.
“I really mentioned, if I do not go, why is he going?” Trump mentioned when requested by a reporter whether or not he was disenchanted with Putin’s choice to not attend peace talks. “I by no means thought Putin would have been in a position to go if he wasn’t there.”
Earlier this week, Trump got here to mild the concept he might be presenting himself. However, he mentioned within the enterprise roundtable that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was already in Istanbul for a gathering along with his NATO counterpart. Trump’s particular envoy, Steve Witkov, can also be scheduled to be in Istanbul on Friday for the anticipated discussions of the Russian Ukraine.
Trump is contemplating collaborating in negotiations for the Russian Ukraine in Türkiye, it’s unclear whether or not Putin will present it
US President Donald J. Trump will meet enterprise leaders on the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Doha, Qatar on May 15, 2025. (Get McNamee/Getty Images)
The promotion of a direct talks between Zelensky and Putin comes amid a surge in negotiations aimed toward making a ceasefire settlement between Russia and Ukraine.
Rubio takes a dark tone on the Russian Ukraine peace deal: “shut however not sufficient”
Putin was the primary to suggest to renew direct peace talks with Ukraine on Thursday within the Turkish cities surrounding Asia and Europe. Zelenskyy challenged Kremlin leaders to satisfy in individual in Türkiye.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Russian delegations and a few officers in Moscow, Russia on May 14, 2025, previous to the Istanbul talks. (Kremlin Press Office / Handout / Anadolu through Getty Images)
However, the Kremlin mentioned the delegation within the speech was led by Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky and included three different officers. Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak mentioned Zelenskyy would solely sit with the Russian chief.
Speaking in Doha, Trump mentioned the Russian-Ukraine conflict “has to cease.” The president lamented the misplaced lives and the cash he spent on his conflict effort.
“We spent $350 billion there – we handed it over. No one is aware of the place the cash is. There’s no accounting. There’s nobody. It’s simply giving him cash,” Trump talked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Rubio denied Trump excluded Ukraine from his Russian speech, pushing again NATO criticism
“I’ve to offer it to him. I believe he is the best salesman in historical past. Every time he involves the US, he’ll depart for $100 billion. That’s an excellent salesman, proper?” Trump mentioned. “He did not try this final time both. He solely bought $60 billion.”
President of Ukraine Voldy Mil Zelensky will maintain a press convention in Kiev, Ukraine on May 13, 2025 (Uklinform/Nurphoto through Getty Images)
Zelensky final visited the White House in February, however tensions shortly started with President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. The two leaders final met on the sidelines at Pope Francis’ funeral final month.
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Later on Thursday, Trump will go to a US set up in Qatar, which is on the coronary heart of America’s involvement within the Middle East. He used his four-day go to to the Gulf nations to reject the US previous “interventionism” within the area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.