Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with former US President Donald Trump in New York on Friday amid growing tensions surrounding US support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia. Zelenskyy stressed the importance of halting the war and said, “I think we have a common view that the war in Ukraine has to be stopped and Putin can’t win,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The meeting, held at Trump Tower, took place a day after US Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic opponent, expressed unwavering support for Ukraine during her meeting with Zelenskyy. Trump, addressing the press after the meeting, said, “The fact that we’re even together today is a very good sign.”
The encounter comes at a critical time as the US presidential election approaches, with Trump and Harris staking out opposing positions on the issue of US involvement in Ukraine’s war with Russia, now entering its third year. Trump has recently praised Russia’s historical military achievements and reiterated his belief that the US should end its involvement with Ukraine, stating the US “needs to get out.”
Friday’s meeting was almost called off, despite Zelenskyy’s office indicating plans for a meeting during his visit to the U.N. General Assembly, where the Ukrainian leader is making his case for continued support from allies.
Earlier this week, in an interview with The New Yorker, Zelenskyy criticised Trump’s understanding of the conflict, implying that the former president oversimplifies the situation. Zelenskyy also called Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, “too radical,” accusing him of advocating for Ukraine to “make a sacrifice” by “giving up its territories.”
Trump has hit back, criticising Zelenskyy and Ukraine twice this week. During a speech in North Carolina on Wednesday, Trump referred to Ukraine as “demolished” and its people as “dead,” adding, “Any deal – the worst deal – would’ve been better than what we have now. If they made a bad deal it would’ve been much better. They would’ve given up a little bit and everybody would be living and every building would be built and every tower would be aging for another 2,000 years.”
Meanwhile, Harris, who met Zelenskyy on Thursday, firmly opposed Trump’s calls for Ukraine to negotiate a quick settlement, stating, “Trump’s push for Ukraine to quickly cut a deal to end the war are not proposals for peace but proposals for surrender.” Trump later clarified that he was not advocating for surrender.
Although Trump and Vance have been vocal critics of US support for Ukraine, other Republicans, including some of Trump’s key allies, have argued that supporting Ukraine is in America’s best interest. One such ally is Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who has consistently backed Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.
At a closed-door meeting with US senators on Capitol Hill, Zelenskyy spoke with lawmakers about Ukraine’s situation. According to a person familiar with the meeting, Graham told those present that he had been in discussions with Trump about the Ukrainian president and later pulled Zelenskyy aside for a private conversation.
While Graham is close to Trump, the two have had an up-and-down relationship, with the senator often serving as an intermediary on various issues. Graham did not respond to requests for comment following the meeting.