Trump vows to resolve Ukraine-Russia conflict ‘in a short time’ as he meets Zelenskyy

Donald Trump has met Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York in a high-stakes assembly at which the Ukrainian chief hoped to restore ties with the previous US president.

The 2 males met at Trump Tower on Friday amid a rising feud between Zelenskyy and Republicans that Ukraine fears may sabotage additional US navy help if Trump wins in November.

“We have now an excellent relationship, and I even have an excellent relationship, as you realize, with President Putin,” Trump mentioned as he stood subsequent to Zelenskyy earlier than the assembly. “And I feel if we win, I feel we’re going to get it resolved in a short time … I actually assume we’re going to get it … however, you realize, it takes two to tango.”

Going into the assembly, Zelenskyy famous he and Trump final met in particular person 5 years in the past. “I feel we’ve got frequent view that the conflict in Ukraine must be stopped, and Putin can’t win, and Ukraine has to prevail,” the Ukrainian chief mentioned. “And I wish to focus on with you the main points of our plan.”

That final assembly got here earlier than Trump was impeached for asking Zelenskyy in a 2019 cellphone name to research Joe Biden and his son in an try and affect the end result of the 2020 US presidential election. He was acquitted within the Senate.

In his opening remarks, Trump thanked Zelenskyy for what he mentioned was his help throughout that scandal. “One of many causes we received it so simply is that when he [Zelenskyy] was requested … he may have grandstanded and performed cute, and he didn’t do this,” Trump mentioned. “He mentioned President Trump did completely nothing incorrect. He mentioned it loud and clear, and the impeachment hoax died proper there.”

Zelenskyy instructed reporters in October 2019 as Congress was launching its impeachment inquiry that there was “no blackmail” from Trump.

The sit-down – which lasted lower than an hour – could possibly be Zelenskyy’s final likelihood to go off a rising battle with Trump, who has regularly made complimentary remarks about Vladimir Putin and has additionally at occasions mentioned he would reduce off help to Ukraine with a purpose to power Kyiv to barter a truce – below any phrases – with Moscow.

“It has to finish,” Trump mentioned of the conflict in Ukraine. “Sooner or later, it has to finish. [Zelenskyy’s] gone by way of hell. This nation has gone by way of hell like few international locations have ever… No one’s ever seen something prefer it.”

Zelenskyy later described the assembly as “very productive”. He wrote on X: “I introduced our Victory Plan, and we completely reviewed the state of affairs in Ukraine and the results of the conflict for our folks. Many particulars have been mentioned. We share the frequent view that the conflict in Ukraine should be stopped. Putin can’t win. Ukrainians should prevail.”

The assembly happened after Zelenskyy’s go to to the UN basic meeting and the White Home to satisfy Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Throughout their assembly, the vice-president not directly attacked Trump’s coverage on Ukraine by saying “some in my nation” would stress Ukraine to cede territory to barter a peace with Putin.

“These proposals are the identical as these of Putin, and allow us to be clear, they don’t seem to be proposals for peace,” Harris mentioned. “As an alternative, they’re proposals for give up, which is harmful and unacceptable.”

The feud between the 2 males reignited this week after Zelenskyy mentioned in an interview he didn’t imagine Trump knew how one can finish the conflict in Ukraine and that his operating mate, JD Vance, was “too radical” for endorsing a peace deal that might lead to Kyiv giving up giant swaths of occupied land to Russia.

The Republican candidate has grown extraordinarily vital of Zelenskyy on the marketing campaign path, attacking him in public speeches this week for “making little nasty aspersions towards your favorite president, me”.

“I watched this poor man yesterday on the United Nations,” Trump had mentioned of Zelenskyy in a marketing campaign speech in North Carolina. “He simply didn’t know what he was saying.”

He added: “Any deal – the worst deal – would’ve been higher than what we’ve got now. In the event that they made a nasty deal it might’ve been significantly better. They might’ve given up somewhat bit and everyone can be residing and each constructing can be constructed and each tower can be ageing for one more 2,000 years … What deal can we make? It’s demolished. The persons are useless. The nation is in rubble.”

Earlier than the assembly on Friday, Trump posted on the Fact Social social media platform what seemed to be a personal message from Zelenskyy requesting a gathering with the previous president. The message, which was despatched by textual content, was transmitted by way of Denys Sienik, Ukraine’s deputy ambassador to Washington.

The choice to publish the message on-line with little rationalization will heighten issues that any frank negotiations in regards to the conflict and what help the US authorities can be prepared to supply could possibly be made public at any time by Trump.

“Days in the past, we requested a gathering with you, and I actually wish to hear your ideas straight and firsthand,” the message learn. “I imagine it’s essential for us to have a private contact and to grasp one another 100%. Let me know in case you are within the metropolis at the moment – I would love for our assembly to happen.” It was signed “Volodymyr”.