Later in the day, Trump avoided directly answering a reporter’s question about Ukraine’s role in upcoming negotiations. “It’s an interesting question,” he responded, suggesting that Ukraine had chosen to engage in war with Russia following the invasion. “I think they need to make peace. That was not a good war to enter.”
The Trump administration’s decision to downplay Ukraine’s involvement in talks with Russia—while reopening communication channels with Moscow—alarmed European leaders and sparked widespread criticism of Trump’s approach.
“Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity are non-negotiable,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Wednesday night. “Our focus must be on strengthening Ukraine and ensuring robust security guarantees.”
After speaking with Trump on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remained outwardly optimistic, describing their discussion as “meaningful” and centered on peace. However, on Thursday, he adopted a firmer stance, stating that he and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had agreed during a call that “no negotiations with Putin can begin without a unified position from Ukraine, Europe, and the U.S.”
“I also cautioned world leaders against taking Putin’s claims of willingness to end the war at face value,” Zelenskyy added.













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