Trump downplays Putin’s decision to skip Istanbul peace talks with Zelenskyy

By ZEKE MILLER and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press DOHA Qatar AP U S President Donald Trump commented Thursday he was not surprised that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be a no-show for anticipated peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey this week Trump who had pressed for Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet in Istanbul brushed off Putin s apparent decision to not take part in the expected talks I didn t think it was manageable for Putin to go if I m not there Trump declared in an exchange with reporters as he took part in a business roundtable with executives in Doha on the third day of his visit to the Middle East Trump earlier this week floated potentially attending himself The U S president however noted on Thursday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was already in the country for meetings with NATO counterparts Trump s special envoy Steve Witkoff also plans to be in Istanbul on Friday for the anticipated Russia-Ukraine talks The push for direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin comes amid a flurry of negotiations aimed at producing a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine Putin was first to propose restarting direct peace talks Thursday with Ukraine in the Turkish city that straddles Asia and Europe Zelenskyy challenged the Kremlin leader to meet in Turkey in person But the Kremlin has declared its delegation at the talks will be led by Putin s aide Vladimir Medinsky and include three other officers Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak commented Zelenskyy will only sit down with the Russian leader Trump as he wrapped up his visit to Qatar stopped by a U S installation at the center of American involvement in the Middle East to speak with U S troops He has used his four-day visit to Gulf states to reject the interventionism of America s past in the region The installation al-Udeid Air Base was a major staging ground during the U S wars in Iraq and Afghanistan The base houses specific U S troops down from about at the height of those wars Trump described the troops that his priority is to end conflicts not start them But I will never hesitate to wield American power if it s necessary to defend the United States of America or our partners Trump declared The Republican president has held up Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar as models for economic improvement in a region plagued by conflict He has urged Qatari leaders during his visit to use their influence to entice Iran to come to terms with his administration on a deal to curb its nuclear activity Trump stated progress has been made in the talks but warned a violent step could be coming if a deal is not reached Iran has sort of agreed to the terms They re not going to make I call it in a friendly way nuclear dust Trump reported at the business roundtable We re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran Related Articles South African leader and Trump will meet next week after US took in white South Africans as refugees Other voices A global drug supply chain is indeed a good thing Mihir Sharma How the US gave India and Pakistan an excuse to stand down Prosecutor in Trump classified files situation takes th Amendment in private interview with Congress What the EPA s partial rollback of the forever chemical drinking water rule means Trump will voyage later on Thursday to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for the final leg of his Mideast tour He will visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque the country s largest mosque The UAE s founder Sheikh Zayed is buried in the mosque s main courtyard Trump will also be hosted for a state visit in the evening by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Qasr Al Watan palace Trump earlier this week met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and broadcasted plans to ease sanctions on the war-torn country The U S has deployed more than troops in Syria for years to suppress a return of the Islamic State group Trump heaped praise on al-Sharaa who was tied to al-Qaida and joined insurgents battling U S forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian civil war after the two met in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday He called al-Sharaa a young attractive guy Tough guy Strong past Very strong past Fighter It was a stark contrast from earlier years when al-Sharaa was imprisoned by U S troops in Iraq Until December there was a million U S bounty for his arrest Trump reported that the opinions of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were big factors in his decision to lift sanctions on Syria President Erdogan called me and mentioned Is there any way you could do that Because if you don t do that they don t have a chance Trump stated So I did it Madhani informed from Dubai Associated Press writer Gabe Levin in Dubai contributed to this document