US and Russia hold peace talks; Trump blames Ukraine for war

The US and Russia held major peace talks in Saudi Arabia yesterday, excluding Ukraine and Europe. Soon after, President Donald Trump made alarming statements, accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of starting the war and calling for elections in the country. 

He claimed that Zelensky’s approval rating is “at 4%,” despite polls indicating it is closer to 50%.

Trump plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin by the end of the month, raising fears that the US might push for a peace deal favoring Russia, potentially undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Trump said Putin assured him he wants to stop the war, though officials remain skeptical. They believe Putin may negotiate only to gain concessions and rebuild his military.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured that any peace deal would be fair to all sides.

Ukraine is concerned over its exclusion from the talks. Zelensky insisted, “I will never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine, never.”