US President Donald Trump expressed disappointment with Ukraine's stance on the conflict with Russia, noting that Kyiv had three years to begin negotiations. The remarks came after recent Russian-American talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis were discussed.

During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence, Trump emphasized that the conflict could have been resolved without territorial losses for Ukraine if the negotiations had begun earlier. He also supported the idea of ​​holding elections in Ukraine, pointing to the low level of support for President Volodymyr Zelensky, which, according to him, is only 4%. Trump noted that holding elections could contribute to a peaceful settlement and give Ukraine a place at the negotiating table.

As Avia.pro journalists previously reported, the talks in Riyadh on February 18 were the first large-scale talks between Russia and the United States in the last three years. The American delegation was headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the Russian delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The parties agreed to create a high-level group to support peace talks and explore economic opportunities after the possible end of the conflict. However, the absence of representatives from Ukraine and European countries at these talks drew criticism from Kyiv and European capitals.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the negotiations were held without his country's participation, and stressed that Ukraine does not recognize any agreements reached without its participation. He also noted that elections in Ukraine are possible only after martial law is lifted. European leaders, in turn, stressed the need for Ukraine to participate in any peace talks and expressed concern about possible concessions from the United States in favor of Russia.

Trump, however, rejected the criticism, saying that Ukraine had enough time to begin negotiations and that the current situation is the result of Kyiv's inaction. He also noted that Russia could "very quickly" destroy Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, but is not doing so, which he said shows Moscow's desire to find a peaceful solution.

At the same time, Trump stressed that he sees no need to reduce the American military presence in Europe, since no one has made such a proposal. He also supported the idea of ​​introducing European peacekeeping forces into Ukraine after a peace agreement is reached, while excluding the participation of American soldiers.

The talks in Riyadh also touched on the restoration of diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States, as well as possible cooperation in the economic sphere, including energy and space. Both sides expressed interest in continuing the dialogue and preparing a meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin in the near future.