Trump says Russians 'have the cards' in peace talks

Donald Trump says helium believes Russia "have the cards" successful immoderate bid talks to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine due to the fact that they person "taken a batch of territory".

The US president told the BBC helium trusted that Moscow wants to spot an extremity to the war, which Russia started erstwhile it waged a full-scale penetration astir 3 years ago.

Trump was flying backmost to Washington DC aft speaking astatine a Saudi-backed concern gathering successful Florida, wherever helium called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator" for the 2nd clip successful a day.

Trump has been angered aft Zelensky, reacting to US-Russia talks successful Saudi Arabia from which Kyiv was excluded, said the US president was "living successful a disinformation space" governed by Moscow.

"I deliberation the Russians privation to spot the warfare end, I truly do. I deliberation they person the cards a small bit, due to the fact that they've taken a batch of territory. They person the cards," Trump told the BBC connected Air Force One.

When asked if helium trusts that Russia wants peace, Trump said "I do".

He was speaking aft lashing retired astatine Zelensky successful Florida, wherever Trump called the Ukrainian president a "dictator", conscionable hours aft utilizing the aforesaid connection successful a Truth Social post.

A White House authoritative said Trump's station was successful nonstop effect to Zelensky's "disinformation" comments.

"He refuses to person elections. He's debased successful the existent Ukrainian polls. How tin you beryllium precocious with each metropolis being demolished?" Trump said successful Florida.

Zelensky's five-year word of bureau was owed to travel to an extremity successful May 2024. However, Ukraine has been nether martial instrumentality since Russia launched its full-scale penetration successful February 2022 and elections are suspended.

Trump has attempted to marque an contented retired of Zelensky's popularity, claiming the Ukrainian president had lone a 4% support rating. But BBC Verify reports that polling conducted this period recovered 57% of Ukrainians said they trusted the president.

The "dictator" slur rapidly prompted disapproval from European leaders including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who said "it is simply incorrect and unsafe to contradict President Zelensky his antiauthoritarian legitimacy".

On Tuesday US and Russian officials held their archetypal high-level, face-to-face talks since Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukraine was not invited.

Trump past appeared to blasted Ukraine for the war, stating "you should person ne'er started it. You could person made a deal".

In response, Zelensky accused Russia of lying during Tuesday's "notorious meeting".

"With each owed respect to President Donald Trump arsenic a leader... helium is surviving successful this disinformation space," helium said.