Trump says Russia “has cards” in peace negotiations

Donald Trump says he believes that Russia has “cards” in any peace talks to end the war in Ukraine because Russia “took a lot of lands.”

US President BBC told that he trusted that Moscow wants to see the end of the war, which Russia began when he launched a large -scale invasion about three years ago.

Trump was returning to Washington, DC, after he spoke at a Saudi -backed investment meeting in Florida, where Ukrainian President Voludmir Zelinsky described as a “dictator” for the second time in one day.

Trump was angry after Zelinski, and he responded to the United States talks in Russia in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was excluded from Kiev, that the US President was “living in misleading information” governed by Moscow.

“I think the Russians want to see the end of the war, and I really do it. I think they have a little cards, because they took a lot of lands. They have cards,” Trump told BBC. .

When asked if he trusted Russia wants peace, Trump said, “I am doing.”

He was speaking after he criticized in Zelinski in Florida, where Trump described the Ukrainian president as a “dictator”, just hours after using the same word as a social function of truth.

A White House official said that Trump was in a direct response to Zelinski’s comments, “misinformation”.

“He refuses to hold elections. It is low in real Ukrainian opinion polls. How can you be high with the demolition of every city?” Trump said in Florida.

Zelinski’s position was scheduled for five years in May 2024. However, Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia launched a large scale in February 2022 and suspended elections.

Trump tried to raise a case of Zelinski’s popularity, claiming that Ukrainian President had only 4 % approval. But the BBC verifies the reports that the polling that was conducted this month has been 57 % of the Ukrainians said they trust the president.

The “dictator” quickly prompted criticism from European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Schulz, who said, “It is simply and dangerous to deprive President Zelinski, his democratic legitimacy.”

The UK Prime Minister, Sir Kerr Starmer, explained that he supported Zelinski in a phone call to the Ukrainian president.

On Tuesday, US and Russian officials held their first high -level talks to face since the full invasion of Russia. Ukraine was not invited.

Trump appears to blame Ukraine for the war, saying, “You should never start it. You could have a deal.”

In response, Zelinski accused Russia of lying during the “famous meeting” on Tuesday.

“With all the due respect of President Donald Trump as a leader … he lives in this field of misinformation,” he said.