Trump claims Russia holds the advantage in Ukraine peace talks
bbc.com —
Donald Trump stated that Russia "has the cards" in peace talks regarding Ukraine, citing their territorial gains since the invasion began nearly three years ago. He expressed trust that Moscow wants to end the conflict. Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him a "dictator" and claiming low approval ratings for him. This followed Zelensky's comments about US-Russia talks that excluded Ukraine. Recent polling shows 57% of Ukrainians trust Zelensky, contradicting Trump's claims. European leaders criticized Trump's remarks, emphasizing Zelensky's democratic legitimacy. Meanwhile, US and Russian officials held their first high-level talks since the invasion, with Ukraine not invited.