‘He makes it hard to make deals:’ Trump says ‘not important’ for Zelenskyy to be in Ukraine talks

US President Donald Trump on Friday (February 21) said he didn’t think Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was ‘very important’ to be included in the ongoing peace talks with Russia.

“I don’t think he’s very important to be in meetings,” said Trump in an audio message to US broadcaster Fox News, further escalating tensions with his Ukrainian counterpart.

“He’s been there for three years. He makes it very hard to make deals,” Trump added.

Trump’s statement comes after Zelenskyy earlier this week raised concerns over Ukraine’s exclusion from the US-Russia peace talks held in Riyadh. Kyiv was not invited to the table.

Ukraine ‘doesn’t have any card’

Trump added that the Ukrainian leaders don’t have any cards in talks.

“I’ve had very good talks with Putin, and I’ve had not such good talks with Ukraine. They don’t have any cards, but they play it tough. But we’re not going to let this continue,” Trump said while addressing some US governors at the White House.

Russia ‘have the cards’

Earlier, Trump said during an interview with BBC that Russia ‘have the cards’ in the peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.

“I think the Russians want to see the war end, I really do. I think they have the cards a little bit, because they’ve taken a lot of territory. They have the cards,” BBC quoted Trump as saying on Air Force One.

When asked if he thought Russia really wanted peace, Trump replied: “I do”.

This came after he earlier this week criticised Zelenskyy, labelling him as “a dictator without elections” and accusing him of doing a “terrible job”.

“He refuses to have elections. He’s low in the real Ukrainian polls. How can you be high with every city being demolished?” Trump was quoted as saying in Florida.

(With inputs from agencies)