President Trump mentioned Thursday he was not shocked that Russian President Vladimir Putin was a no-show for peace talks with Ukraine being held in Turkey, attributing it to his personal absence.
“I actually said, ‘Why would he go if I’m not going?’” Trump advised reporters in Qatar. “I’d go, however I wasn’t planning to go, and I mentioned ‘I don’t suppose he’s going to go if I don’t go.'”
The president left open the potential for going to Turkey on Friday, although he acknowledged he had a full schedule on his subsequent cease within the Center East, the United Arab Emirates.
“If something happened I would go on Friday if it was appropriate,” Trump mentioned.
Putin didn’t attend direct talks with Ukraine being held in Turkey on Thursday, as a substitute sending an adviser. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Turkey for the talks, as did U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Zelensky known as Russia’s degree of illustration on the talks “theatrical.”
“It is essential to understand the level of the Russian delegation, what mandate they hold, and whether they are authorised to make any decisions at all – because we all know who actually makes decisions in Russia,” Zelensky posted on X.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 after amassing troops close to the border.
The Trump administration has pushed Russia and Ukraine to comply with a pause in preventing. Ukraine has mentioned it could comply with a 30-day ceasefire, whereas Russia has made no such dedication. Critics have argued Putin is tired of peace talks.
