Trump meets with Zelensky after complaining that Ukrainian leader 'refuses' to make deal to end war

Donald Trump met face-to-face with Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the former US president complained this week that the Ukrainian leader was “refusing” to make a deal to end the war with Russia.

As he stood by Mr. Zelensky At Trump Tower in New York, the Republican presidential candidate said Friday he would work with both countries to end the conflict.

After days of questions about whether the two would sit together, Mr. Trump praised the Ukrainian president, saying he had “very good relations” with him, but added that he also had “very good relations” with the Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

In their first meeting since 2019, Mr Zelenskyy said he hoped they would continue to maintain good relations. “It takes two to tango, and we will,” Mr. Trump replied.

A reporter asked Mr. Trump if Ukraine could win the war, to which he replied: “Of course. They could.”

He also said that “if we win (the elections), I think we will solve the problem (the war) very quickly.”

“We’re going to work a lot with both sides to try to get this resolved and resolve it.”

Mr. Zelensky said: “I think we agree that the war in Ukraine It must be stopped and Putin cannot win.”

The meeting comes as Mr Trump pushes for Ukraine to reach a deal to end the large-scale conflict which began in February 2022.

He was asked Thursday during a news conference at Trump Tower whether Ukraine should cede territory, to which he responded, “we’ll see what happens” and “we need peace.”

“Little unpleasant slanders”

On Wednesday, Mr. Trump complained at an event in Charlotte, North Carolina, that “we continue to give billions of dollars to a man (Mr. Zelenskyy) who refuses to make a deal” to end in combat.

Also this week, Mr. Trump said that Ukraine’s president was “making nasty slander about your favorite president, me,” and described Mr. Zelensky as “the greatest salesman on Earth” to gain support from UNITED STATES.

Mr. Trump also called Ukraine “broken” and its people “dead.”

Criticism of Harris

During a meeting at the White House between Mr. Zelenskyy and Kamala Harris Thursday, the American vice president attack opponents by making “capitulation proposals” in Ukraine – a thinly veiled criticism of Mr. Trump.

Referring to her rival’s recent comments that Ukraine should have accepted “a bad deal”, Ms Harris added: “These are not peace proposals. Rather, they are proposals for capitulation.

“The United States cannot and must not isolate itself from the rest of the world. Isolation is not isolation.”

The Democratic presidential candidate also expressed his unwavering support for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden announced more than $8 billion (£6 billion) in new military aid to help kyiv “win this war”.

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Mr Zelensky used his visit to the United States to promote his “victory plan”, which a US official described as a repackaged demand for more weapons and a lifting of restrictions on the use of long-range missiles. Western-made range against targets in Russia.

In Washington DC, he presented to the Biden administration and Congress his plans to achieve an end to the war by improving Ukraine’s chances on the battlefield and having leverage at the negotiating table.

He also addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week and delivered his speech to his allies.

There are concerns about the future of Ukraine and how the outcome of November’s US election could have a significant impact on the fate of the war, with disagreements in Congress over whether to continue the war. aid to Ukraine.