Donald Trump says ‘had very good talks' with Russia's Putin, Ukraine's Zelensky ‘not very important’ to be in meeting

Donald Trump-Volodymyr Zelensky tensions: US President Donald on Friday intensified his attacks on his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he doesn't consider it essential for the latter to be present at negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

Donald Trump said he had “good talks” with Russia's President Vladimir Putin but not with Ukraine as the US pushes negotiations to end the three-year conflict. However, later, the US President claimed that Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin will have to “get together” to end the war between Moscow and Kyiv.

Trump's comments marked a shift from criticising Zelensky as a “dictator with elections” after the Ukrainian president complained that his country – invaded by Russia in 2022 – had been left out of talks between US and Russian officials. “I don't think he's very important to be in meetings”. "He has been there for three years. He makes it very hard to make deals," the US president added.