Donald Trump criticized Ukraine after President Zelensky expressed surprise at not being invited to US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia.

Axar.az reports that Trump suggested Ukraine "could have made a deal" to avoid the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held the first high-level talks since the invasion in Riyadh. They agreed to appoint teams for negotiations, with Lavrov rejecting NATO peacekeeping forces in Ukraine.

European NATO countries, still backing Ukraine, were sidelined by Trump’s unilateral peace efforts, reversing Biden’s pro-Ukraine stance.

Trump claimed he could have negotiated a deal that prevented war, and he expressed confidence in resolving the conflict after the talks.Regarding European countries sending troops, he stated support but ruled out US deployment.

Meanwhile, European leaders debated military support, with the UK advocating a US security guarantee to deter future Russian aggression.

Zelensky, visibly upset, insisted Ukraine must be involved in decisions about its own war. The conflict, ongoing since Russia’s 2022 invasion, has resulted in massive casualties and displacement.