Vladimir Putin was absent from peace talks Ukraine in Turkey despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky open declaration that he would wait to meet the Russian despot.
Now, U.S. President Donald Trump has gave his cent on Putin’s absence saying he did not expect the Russian President to attend the meeting unless he (Trump) was present.
Speaking at a business roundtable in Qatar during a Middle East trip, Trump remarked, ‘I didn’t think it was possible for Putin to go if I’m not there.’
Trump had previously floated the idea of attending the proposed talks if Putin agreed to participate.
However, on Thursday, he appeared to backtrack, saying, ‘I actually said, why would he go if I’m not going? Because I wasn’t going to go. I wasn’t planning to go. I would go, but I wasn’t planning to go. And I said, I don’t think he’s going to go if I don’t go.’
The remarks come amid ongoing international efforts to bring an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022 when Russian forces invaded Ukrainian territory.
The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, widespread destruction, and a massive humanitarian crisis.
Trump’s statements follow recent signals from President Vladimir Putin indicating that Russia may be open to renewed peace talks with Ukraine, provided certain conditions are met.
Putin has suggested Turkey — a NATO member that has maintained relations with both Kyiv and Moscow — as a potential venue for such negotiations, intelligence has gathered.
Putin’s suggestion aligns with previous efforts by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who hosted early rounds of talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in 2022. Though those talks ultimately broke down, Erdoğan continues to advocate for Turkey’s role as a mediator in the conflict.
Despite Putin’s stated openness to dialogue, Ukraine and its allies remain skeptical of Russia’s intentions, particularly in light of ongoing hostilities and Moscow’s insistence on retaining occupied Ukrainian territories.
Trump has often touted his relationship with Putin and claimed that the war in Ukraine would not have occurred if he were still in office. His latest comments suggest he sees himself as a key figure in any meaningful diplomatic breakthrough.
