On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced his decision to skip the peace talks involving Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, and he minimized the significance of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s choice to also be absent.

Initially, Trump had advocated for a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul. However, during a business roundtable with executives in Doha, as part of his four-day regional tour, Trump cited scheduling conflicts as his reason for not attending.

“I actually said, why would he go if I’m not going?” Trump mentioned when questioned by a reporter about his feelings on Putin’s decision not to join the peace talks. “I didn’t think it was possible for Putin to go if I’m not there.”

Trump earlier this week floated the idea of potentially attending himself. But he noted during the business roundtable that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was already in Istanbul 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.

“I have to hand it to him. I think he’s the greatest salesman, maybe in history. Every time he came to the United States, he’d walk away with $100 billion. That’s a good salesman, right?” Trump said. “Last time he didn’t do as well. He only got $60 billion.” 

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds a news conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 13, 2025.  (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Zelenskyy last visited the White House in February, but tensions quickly broke out with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The two leaders last met on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral last month. 

Later Thursday, Trump will visit a U.S. installation in Qatar at the center of American involvement in the Middle East. He has used his four-day visit to Gulf states to reject the “interventionism” of America’s past in the region.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.