Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has expressed his intention to collaborate with both Ukraine and Russia to bring an end to their ongoing conflict, as he stood alongside Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky prior to their meeting in New York.
Addressing reporters at Trump Tower, Mr. Zelensky mentioned his desire to discuss his “victory plan” for Ukraine with Mr. Trump.
While Mr. Trump commended Mr. Zelensky, he noted that he also maintained a strong rapport with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We have a very good relationship (with Zelensky), and I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin,” Mr. Trump stated.
Earlier reports from US media indicated that the meeting at Trump Tower in New York might be cancelled after Mr. Trump took offense to comments made by the Ukrainian president to The New Yorker magazine, where he stated that the Republican “doesn’t really know how to stop the war.”
This development coincides with criticism from Democratic candidate and US Vice President Kamala Harris regarding the former president’s “surrender” policy concerning Ukraine.
During a meeting at the White House, Mr. Zelensky presented a so-called “victory” plan to US President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris, with Mr. Biden announcing a new military aid package amounting to nearly $8 billion for Ukraine, which is currently struggling.
While standing alongside Mr. Zelensky, Ms. Harris refrained from mentioning Mr. Trump directly but remarked that there are “some in my country who would instead force Ukraine to give up large parts of its sovereign territory.”
Joe Biden met Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office
“These proposals are identical to those of (President Vladimir) Putin. And let us be clear, they are not proposals for peace. Instead, they are proposals for surrender,” she stated, referring to the Russian leader.
In a separate Oval Office meeting with Mr. Zelensky, Mr. Biden assured that “Russia will not prevail” in the war initiated in February 2022.
“Ukraine will prevail, and we’ll continue to stand by you every step of the way,” Mr. Biden promised.
In response, Mr. Zelensky expressed, “we deeply appreciate that Ukraine and America have stood side by side.”
However, Mr. Zelensky is currently navigating the turbulent environment of the upcoming US presidential election on November 5, which could jeopardize the strong support he has received from the United States over the past two-and-a-half years.
‘Make a deal’
On the eve of his visit, Mr. Trump, long critical of the vast sums of US support for Ukraine, accused Mr. Zelensky of refusing to negotiate a deal with Russia.
Mr. Trump reiterated his long-held assertion that he could quickly broker a peace deal—something Ukraine fears may involve conceding land already captured by Russia.
Donald Trump has claimed that he could swiftly cut a peace deal in Ukraine
“I believe I will be able to make a deal between President Putin and President Zelensky and do it quite quickly,” he remarked.
He also indicated his displeasure with Mr. Zelensky’s recent comments to The New Yorker magazine, where the Ukrainian leader expressed that he believed Mr. Trump “doesn’t really know how to stop the war.”
Trump meets British PM Starmer
Earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Mr. Trump during his trip to New York.
Mr. Starmer visited Trump Tower for discussions ahead of the November US election, stating his intent to meet Mr. Trump in person because he is “a great believer in personal relationships on the world stage.”
The meeting has the potential for diplomatic awkwardness, not only due to Mr. Trump’s bombastic style but also because Mr. Starmer has been unable to arrange a similar meeting with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.
Before the meeting, Mr. Starmer informed reporters, “I’ve said a number of times, I want to meet both candidates. We’ve now got the opportunity to meet Trump, which is good. Obviously, I still want to speak to Harris as well.”
At a press conference prior to their meeting, Mr. Trump described Mr. Starmer as “very nice.”
