Trump blames Ukraine for starting war with Russia during news conference

During a news conference, former President Donald Trump blamed Ukraine for starting the war with Russia. He stated that Ukraine should have negotiated peace earlier and claimed he could have facilitated a deal to end the conflict. Trump's comments come as U.S. and Russian diplomats met to discuss peace efforts without Ukrainian officials present. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concerns about being excluded from negotiations, emphasizing that Ukraine must be involved in decisions regarding the war. Trump criticized both Zelensky and President Joe Biden's handling of the situation. He asserted that he alone has the ability to end the war, while U.S. officials indicated that European countries would not be included in the peace talks.