Trump blames Zelensky, Kyiv for Russian attack, seeks Ukraine election

In a body blow to Ukraine, US President Donald Trump has sought to put the entire blame for Russia’s war on Kyiv and President Volodymyr Zelensky and called for new elections in the European country.

In his harshest criticism that left both Zelensky and much of Europe scrambling for cover, Trump virtually accused Ukraine of starting the war that has ravaged it, leaving thousands dead and displaced.

Why Ukraine was missing from meet

Commenting on why Ukraine was not present at the Riyadh talks between the US and Russia, Trump blamed the besieged country for Russia's invasion and for not "making a deal" to achieve peace.

"Today I heard, 'Oh, well, we weren’t invited.' Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal," Trump said while speaking to the media at his resort on Tuesday (February 18).

Also read: Russia, US agree to work toward ending Ukraine war in remarkable diplomatic shift

Trump echoes Putin

And in a hostile comment, Trump appeared to echo, while denying he was doing so, an oft-repeated claim by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine needs a new leader in Zelensky’s place.

“We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law,” Trump said. He asserted that Zelensky’s approval rating in the country was a mere 4 per cent.

He warned that for Ukraine’s views on its fate to be considered, it would have to have a fresh nationwide election.

Uncertain Europe

“You know, they want a seat at the table; wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have to have a say, like it’s been a lot of times since we’ve had an election?”

Ukraine’s last election was due to have taken place last April but Zelensky has said it wasn’t possible for voters to go to the polls amid a war.

The US president’s views are bound to escalate fears in Europe that Trump is pushing for a peace in Ukraine that would favour the Kremlin at the cost of Kyiv.

Also read: Russia, US discuss how to end Ukraine war; no Kyiv at Riyadh meet

Reversing US stand

Trump’s views also overturn the years of support Ukraine enjoyed from the preceding US administration since Moscow launched a military blitzkrieg almost three years ago.

His remarks appeared to directly contradict assurances by his own Secretary of State Marco Rubio after meeting a Russian delegation that any eventual peace agreement would be fair to all parties.

Trump – who insisted during the election campaign that ending the war was a top priority – exaggerated the destruction of Ukraine, claiming most of its cities had been "blown to smithereens".

What 'quick deal' could have done

"I don't know how anybody even lives there," he said while saying that a quick deal early in the war could have given Ukraine "almost all of the land, everything...and no people would have been killed, and no city would have been demolished."

Sensitive to criticism that he parrots Russian propaganda in his statements on the war, Trump insisted: “That’s not a Russia thing; that’s something that’s coming from me.”

Also read: Trump policies: Zelenskyy seeks ‘armed forces of Europe’; Scholz talks tough

Rubio’s assessment

In the same breath, the American leader praised the talks which took place in Saudi Arabia between the US and Russia and said Moscow wants "to do something" and "stop the savage barbarianism".

Rubio has said the talks were just the start of a "long and difficult journey" and the "serious process" to end the Ukraine war.