Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has presented Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump with a “Victory Plan” for his country’s war with Russia.
The two men met at Trump Tower in New York a day after Zelensky detailed the plan to President Joe Biden and Trump’s Democrat rival for the Oval Office, Kamala Harris.
Zelenskyy said after the talks that they both agreed the war must end. The Ukrainian president described the meeting as “productive” while Trump called it “great.”
Zelenskyy said after around three hours of talks that the two politicians had “thoroughly reviewed” the latest situation in the war and the conflict’s consequences, Reuters reported.
“We share the common view that the war in Ukraine must be stopped,” Zelenskyy said, adding: “Putin cannot win. Ukrainians must prevail.”
The U.S. Republican presidential candidate agreed at the last minute to meet Zelenskyy just days after he had criticized him for refusing to “make a deal” with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy said after the talks that they both agreed the war must end. The Ukrainian president described the meeting as “productive” while Trump called it “great.”
Zelenskyy said after around three hours of talks that the two politicians had “thoroughly reviewed” the latest situation in the war and the conflict’s consequences, Reuters reported.
“We share the common view that the war in Ukraine must be stopped,” Zelenskyy said, adding: “Putin cannot win. Ukrainians must prevail.”
The U.S. Republican presidential candidate agreed at the last minute to meet Zelenskyy just days after he had criticized him for refusing to “make a deal” with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Members of Trump’s campaign team had earlier said a meeting was unlikely, amid friction between the two.
Appearing next to Zelenskyy ahead of their talks, Trump said he would work with both Ukraine and Russia to end their war, saying he had a “very good relationship” with Putin but that "it takes two to tango.”
Trump repeated his claim that if elected he would be able to bring about peace in Ukraine “long before” taking office.
However, the BBC reported that on Thursday he had declined to give details of how he would achieve an end to the war or answer questions about whether he would pressure Kyiv to cede territory.
‘Very good relationship’ with Putin
Appearing next to Zelenskyy ahead of their talks, Trump said he would work with both Ukraine and Russia to end their war, saying he had a “very good relationship” with Putin but that "it takes two to tango.”
Trump repeated his claim that if elected he would be able to bring about peace in Ukraine “long before” taking office.
However, the BBC reported that on Thursday he had declined to give details of how he would achieve an end to the war or answer questions about whether he would pressure Kyiv to cede territory.
Kamala Harris said on Thursday that Ukraine giving up large swathes of territory would constitute surrender rather than peace.
In a televised debate earlier this month, Trump avoided directly answering whether he wanted Ukraine to win its war with Russia. He has stated his admiration for Putin in the past and during campaigning prior to Friday’s meeting said Ukraine had been “obliterated” by Russia and was beyond reconstruction.
The Trump-Zelenskyy relationship has a colorful history, with Trump being impeached as president in 2019 over accusations he had pressured the Ukrainian leader into digging up dirt on the Biden family.
Friday’s talks were the first time the two politicians have met face-to-face since Trump left office in 2021, more than a year prior to the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
In a televised debate earlier this month, Trump avoided directly answering whether he wanted Ukraine to win its war with Russia. He has stated his admiration for Putin in the past and during campaigning prior to Friday’s meeting said Ukraine had been “obliterated” by Russia and was beyond reconstruction.
The Trump-Zelenskyy relationship has a colorful history, with Trump being impeached as president in 2019 over accusations he had pressured the Ukrainian leader into digging up dirt on the Biden family.
Friday’s talks were the first time the two politicians have met face-to-face since Trump left office in 2021, more than a year prior to the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
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