Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump meet in New York on Sept. 27, 2024. Photo: Uliana Boichuk/Novyny LIVE/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

President Trump sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, after U.S. officials met for talks with Russia, from which Ukraine was excluded.

Why it matters: Trump’s comments — falsely suggesting Ukraine started the war and that Zelensky is deeply unpopular with his own people — will supercharge fears among Ukraine and U.S. allies that the Trump administration is siding with Moscow ahead of possible peace talks.

• They could also increase the tension and suspicion between the Trump administration and the Zelensky government.

Driving the news: Senior U.S. and Russian officials met on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia for more than four hours to discuss ending the war in Ukraine and preparing for a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

• Both Russian and U.S. officials who participated in the meeting said publicly it was positive and successful. “The talks were very good,” Trump later said from Mar-a-Lago.
• Trump said he is “much more confident” about the chances of getting a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine after the meeting in Saudi Arabia and that he thinks he could meet with Putin before the end of February.

Zelensky, however, said on Tuesday that the talks in Saudi Arabia were organized behind Ukraine’s back.

• “We were not invited to the meeting between the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia. It was a surprise for us and we learned about it from the media,” he said.
• In protest of the meeting, Zelensky decided to postpone his unrelated visit to Saudi Arabia planned for Wednesday in order not to create “a false impression of negotiations.”

What they’re saying: Trump said he is “disappointed” with the complaints from Ukrainian officials who said they were not invited to the meeting in Saudi Arabia.

• “They had a seat at the table for three years,” Trump said, adding the Ukrainian government could have settled its conflict with Russia by now. “When they are worried about not being seated, they could have made a deal long ago,” he said.
• Trump weighed in on Ukraine’s domestic politics and noted there have not been elections in the country because the government imposed martial law.
• “The leader in Ukraine is down at 4% approval ratings. Wouldn’t the people of Ukraine need to have an election? Ukraine is being wiped out,” he said.

Recent polls in Ukraine show Zelensky’s approval ratings are around 50%.

• Trump added: “You should have never started it — you could have made a deal. I like him personally, but it is the leadership that allowed the war to go on.”
• Trump’s occasional comments suggesting Ukraine was somehow responsible for Russia’s invasion have been a source of concern and consternation for Ukraine’s other Western partners.
• Trump has not made similar criticisms of Putin or of Russia’s authoritarian political system.