In a recent development, President Donald Trump expressed his lack of surprise at Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to abstain from the anticipated peace talks with Ukraine, scheduled to take place in Turkey this week.
Despite Trump's efforts to facilitate a meeting between Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul, Putin's absence was not unexpected. "I didn't think it was possible for Putin to go if I'm not there," Trump stated during a business roundtable in Doha, part of his Middle East visit.
According to Newsmax, Trump had earlier hinted at his potential attendance at these talks. However, he clarified on Thursday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was already in the country for meetings with NATO counterparts. Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, also plans to be in Istanbul on Friday for the anticipated Russia-Ukraine talks. This push for direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin is part of a broader effort to negotiate a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin was the first to suggest restarting direct peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, a city that bridges Asia and Europe. In response, Zelenskyy challenged the Russian leader to meet him in Turkey in person. However, the Kremlin announced that its delegation at the talks would be led by Putin's aide, Vladimir Medinsky, along with three other officials. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak stated that Zelenskyy will only negotiate with Putin himself.
Later on Thursday, Trump is scheduled to visit a U.S. installation in Qatar, a central hub for American involvement in the Middle East. Throughout his four-day visit to the Gulf states, Trump has consistently rejected the "interventionism" of America's past in the region. He will address troops at Qatar's al-Udeid Air Base, a significant staging ground during the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a supporter of the recent U.S. air campaign against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis.
Trump has praised Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar as models for economic development in a region plagued by conflict. His goal is to persuade Iran to negotiate with his administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program. After addressing U.S. troops, Trump will travel to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for the final leg of his Middle East tour. He will visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the country's largest mosque, where the UAE's founder, Sheikh Zayed, is buried. 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.
Earlier this week, Trump met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and announced plans to ease sanctions on the war-torn country. The U.S. has deployed more than 1,000 troops in Syria for years to suppress a return of the Islamic State group. Trump praised al-Sharaa, who was previously tied to al-Qaida and joined insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian civil war. The president referred to al-Sharaa as a "young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter." This is a stark contrast from earlier years when Al-Sharaa was imprisoned by U.S. troops in Iraq. Until December, there was a $10 million U.S. bounty for his arrest.
Trump revealed to business executives that the opinions of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan significantly influenced his decision to lift sanctions on Syria. "President Erdogan called me and said, 'Is there any way you could do that? Because if you don't do that, they don't have a chance,'" Trump said. "So, I did it."
The Qatari base Trump is visiting houses some 8,000 U.S. troops, down from about 10,000 at the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The gas-rich Gulf country has spent some $8 billion over two decades in developing the base, built on a flat stretch of desert about 20 miles southwest of Qatar's capital, Doha.
Trump said he and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, would also see a demonstration of American air capability, as the U.S. leader looks to boost defense exports to the region. "You're buying a lot of that equipment actually," Trump said Wednesday when he and Sheikh Tamim signed a series of bilateral and business agreements between the two countries.
"And I think we're going to see some of it in action tomorrow at the we won't call it an air fair, but its going to be sort of an air fair. We're going to be showing a display that's going to be incredible. They have the latest and the greatest of our planes and just about everything else."
Login