President Donald Trump on Thursday stated he would skip Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul and downplayed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s choice to not attend.
The president had pressed for Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to fulfill in Istanbul. However talking at a enterprise roundtable with executives in Doha as a part of a four-day tour of the area, Trump stated he wasn’t going due to scheduling conflicts.
“I truly stated, why would he go if I’m not going?” Trump stated when requested by a reporter if he was upset by Putin’s choice to not attend the peace talks. “I did not suppose it was doable for Putin to go if I am not there.”
Trump earlier this week floated the concept of doubtless attending himself. However he famous throughout the enterprise roundtable that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was already in Istanbul for conferences with NATO counterparts. Trump’s particular envoy, Steve Witkoff, additionally plans to be in Istanbul on Friday for the anticipated Russia-Ukraine talks.
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U.S. President Donald J. Trump meets with enterprise leaders on the Ritz Carlton Resort on Could 15, 2025, in Doha, Qatar. (Win McNamee/Getty Pictures)
The push for direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin comes amid a flurry of negotiations aimed toward producing a ceasefire settlement between Russia and Ukraine.
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Putin was the primary to suggest restarting direct peace talks Thursday with Ukraine within the Turkish metropolis that straddles Asia and Europe. Zelenskyy challenged the Kremlin chief to fulfill in Turkey in individual.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Russian delegation and a few officers forward of the Istanbul talks, on Could 14, 2025 in Moscow, Russia. (Kremlin Press Workplace / Handout/Anadolu by way of Getty Pictures)
However the Kremlin has stated its delegation on the talks will probably be led by Putin’s aide, Vladimir Medinsky, and embody three different officers. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak stated Zelenskyy will solely sit down with the Russian chief.
Talking in Doha, Trump stated the Russia-Ukraine battle “has to cease.” The president lamented the lives misplaced and cash spent on the battle effort.
“We spent $350 billion there – simply handed. No person even is aware of the place the cash is. There’s no accounting. There’s nobody. It’s simply give him cash,” Trump stated, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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“I’ve handy it to him. I believe he’s the best salesman, possibly in historical past. Each time he got here to the USA, he’d stroll away with $100 billion. That’s an excellent salesman, proper?” Trump stated. “Final time he didn’t do as effectively. He solely acquired $60 billion.”
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds a information convention in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Could 13, 2025. (Ukrinform/NurPhoto by way of Getty Pictures)
Zelenskyy final visited the White Home in February, however tensions rapidly broke out with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The 2 leaders final met on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral final month.
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Later Thursday, Trump will go to a U.S. set up in Qatar on the heart of American involvement within the Center East. He has used his four-day go to to Gulf states to reject the “interventionism” of America’s previous within the area.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
