In an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press aired on 5 November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited former US President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine.
This offer comes in response to Trump’s previous claim that he could resolve the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours if re-elected in 2024. Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about Trump’s assertion:
“Former President Trump said that [in] about 24 hours, that he can manage it and finish the war. For me, what can I say? So he’s very welcome as well. President Biden was here, and he — I think he understood some details which you can understand only being here,” Zelenskyy said. “So, I invite President Trump.”
Moreover, Zelenskyy said it would take him 24 minutes to explain that such a resolution wasn’t feasible due to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s role in the conflict:
“If he can come here, I will need 24 minutes — yes, 24 minutes. Not more. Yes. Not more — 24 minutes to explain [to] President Trump that he can’t manage this war,” said Zelenskyy. “He can’t bring peace because of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.”
Trump’s claims to resolve the war in 24 hours appeared in a September interview with Meet the Press, but he did not explain how he intends to do it, saying, “If I tell you exactly, I lose all my bargaining chips,” but promised to talk to both Zelenskyy and Putin, and “make a fair deal for everybody.”
Despite the invitation, Zelenskyy remained uncertain about Trump’s potential support for Ukraine if he was re-elected.
He highlighted the importance of not only the institutional stance of US leadership but also the opinion of the American people, emphasizing that public sentiment and support from ordinary Americans play a crucial role in shaping Ukraine’s destiny amid the challenging war with Russia.
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