US President Calls Conflict “Senseless,” Says It Wouldn’t Have Happened Under His Leadership
Washington DC [US], February 19: US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that Russia is willing to end the ongoing war in Ukraine, following high-level diplomatic talks between American and Russian officials. Trump cited the massive toll the war has taken on soldiers—including Ukrainians, Russians, and reportedly North Koreans—as a reason for Russia’s willingness to negotiate.
Calling the war “senseless,” Trump reiterated that it should never have occurred, adding that it would not have happened had he been in office at the time.
Trump on US-Russia Talks: “Very Good Discussions”
When asked about the recent diplomatic meetings between US and Russian representatives, Trump said he was “much more confident” after the discussions.
“Russia wants to do something. They want to stop the barbarism that’s going on over there. Soldiers are being killed by thousands on a weekly basis. Apart from Russian and Ukrainian soldiers, a lot of Koreans have been killed,” Trump said while signing executive orders at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday (local time).
“We want to end it. It’s a senseless war. It should have never happened; it would have never happened if I were President,” he added.
US-Russia Talks Yield Key Agreements
The diplomatic talks, led by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, took place in Saudi Arabia. The discussions focused on de-escalating the Ukraine conflict and normalizing bilateral relations.
After four hours of negotiations, the two sides agreed on four key principles, including appointing a high-level negotiation team to work toward ending the conflict in Ukraine in a manner “acceptable to all parties involved,” CNN reported.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also confirmed ongoing discussions in a statement, saying, “The participants discussed a broad range of issues, including prospects for normalizing bilateral relations. The sides agreed to appoint respective ambassadors as soon as possible and to start consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers to remove restrictions on diplomatic missions.”
Additionally, both sides agreed to maintain open communication channels to address global security concerns, acknowledging their shared responsibility as nuclear powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Zelenskyy Rejects “Ultimatums”
Despite progress in US-Russia talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would not “give in to Russia’s ultimatums” and refused to accept any agreement made without Ukraine’s direct involvement.
While Russia and the US have committed to continued negotiations, the potential for a breakthrough remains uncertain. The upcoming diplomatic meetings between Russian and American leaders could determine the future course of the war in Ukraine.
Tags: US-Russia Talks, Ukraine War, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Sergey Lavrov, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Marco Rubio, Diplomacy, Peace Negotiations, UN Security Council