Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US Presidential candidate Donald Trump in New York on 27 September to present him with Ukraine’s “Victory Plan.”
During their joint appearance after the meeting, Trump emphasized his relationships with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We have a very good relationship [with Zelenskyy]. And I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin,” Trump stated, adding, “If we win, I think we’re going to get it (the Russo-Ukrainian war, Ed.) resolved very quickly,” according to AP.
Zelenskyy stressed the need to pressure Putin to end the war.
“We need to do everything to pressure him to stop this war. He is in our territory. That’s most important to understand,” Zelenskyy said.
Both leaders expressed a desire to see the war end. Trump told Fox News,
“We both want to see this end, and we both want to see a fair deal made.”
Zelenskyy echoed this sentiment, stating,
“I think we have a common view that the war in Ukraine has to be stopped. Putin can’t win. And Ukrainians have to prevail,” as quoted by SkyNews.
The meeting came after Trump had criticized Zelenskyy earlier in the week, calling him “the greatest salesman on Earth” for securing US support, according to France24. Trump has also scrutinized US funding of the war in Ukraine and hinted at resistance to providing more assistance to the country, as reported by ABC News.
During the meeting, Zelenskyy presented his Plan for Victory to Trump, according to the Ukrainian President‘s official website. The plan reportedly included details on the situation at the front, Ukrainian innovations in fighting Russian aggression, and the need to block Russia’s ability to finance the war through oil and gas sales.
The meeting highlighted the complex dynamics surrounding US support for Ukraine. Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic opponent in the upcoming election in 39 days, met with Zelenskyy the previous day and pledged continued American support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion, as reported by Sky News.
Trump has previously suggested that Ukraine might need to cede territory to Russia to end the war, a position that contrasts sharply with the Biden administration’s stance, according to ABC News.
As reported by France24, Zelenskyy has been eager to maintain good relations with the United States, his country’s largest provider of arms and money for the war. However, the future of that support would be in doubt if Trump were to win the election.
In a gesture of goodwill, Zelenskyy invited Trump to visit Ukraine at the end of their meeting, to which Trump responded, “I will,” adding, “it’s a beautiful country, beautiful weather, beautiful everything,” as reported by The Guardian.
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