Trump, Zelensky meet to discuss ending Ukraine war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Friday with former President Trump, who lauded his relationship with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting he could broker an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine “very quickly.”

“We’re going to work very much with both parties to try and get this settled,” Trump told reporters alongside Zelensky.

“We have a very good relationship, and I also have a very good relationship — as you know — with President Putin. And I think if we win, I think we’re going to get it resolved very quickly,” Trump added.

“I hope we have more good relations,” Zelensky cut in.

“Oh, I see,” Trump responded. “But it takes two to tango, you know. And we’re going to have a good meeting today. And I think the fact that we’re even together today is a very good sign.”

The two, who met at Trump Tower in New York City, shook hands and spoke briefly to the press before sitting down for talks.

“I think that we can work out something that’s good for both sides. It’s time,” Trump said. “By the way, the president [Zelensky] knows that too. He wants to get something done. He doesn’t want to do this.”

Trump, who has often voiced his deep skepticism of U.S. aid to Ukraine, said it was “an honor” to meet with Zelensky. At a rally Wednesday, Trump joined other Republicans criticizing Zelensky over perceptions that he favors Democrats in November’s election.

Trump also has mocked Zelensky for only coming to the U.S. government for financial help.

“Every time Zelensky comes to the United States he walks away with $100 billion, I think he’s the greatest salesman on Earth,” Trump said Tuesday at a campaign event in Savannah, Ga.

The U.S. has provided Ukraine about $60 billion in military assistance since Russia first attacked the country in February 2022.

At the rally, Trump also praised Putin and Russia’s military record, telling attendees: “They beat Hitler, they beat Napoleon. That’s what they do, they fight. And it’s not pleasant.”

Zelensky too has voiced frosty views of his one-time counterpart, telling the New Yorker that “Trump doesn’t really know how to stop the war even if he might think he knows.” 

In the piece, published Sunday, Zelensky also called Trump’s pick for vice president, Sen. JD Vance, (R-Ohio,) “too radical,” because he is pushing for Ukraine to “make a sacrifice” by “giving up its territories.”

Asked Friday why he decided to meet with Trump, Zelensky said the two had a “common view” on ending the conflict and, regardless of who wins the election, he hoped U.S. support would continue.

“I think we have [a] common view that the war in Ukraine has to be stopped and Putin can’t win. The Ukrainians have to prevail, and I want to discuss with you the details,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky is in the U.S. this week for the United Nations General Assembly. He also met with President Biden and Vice President Harris Thursday at the White House, with the administration the same day announcing about $8 billion in military assistance for Kyiv.

Trump a day prior said Zelensky had asked to meet with him, again claiming he could broker a deal between Kyiv and Moscow “quite quickly.”

The presidential candidate so far has declined to provide details of what such a deal would include, and his critics worry he is prepared to pressure Ukraine to cede land to Russia.

Speaking on Fox News after the meeting ended, Trump said he “learned a lot” from the conversation and reiterated that he thinks a fair deal is possible, though he declined to say what he thought a fair deal was. 

“I learned a lot, but I think I haven’t changed from the standpoint that we both want to see this end and we both want to see a fair deal made. And it’s got to be fair, and I think that’ll happen at the right time. I think it’s going to happen,” Trump said.

Zelensky then spoke up, pressing that it was Russia that invaded Ukrainian territory.

“This war shouldn’t [have] started, and I think that the problem [is] that Putin killed so many people and, of course, we need to do everything to pressure him to stop this war. He is in our territory. That’s the most important. He is in our territory and how to stop the war to pressure him as we can. We have to do it,” Zelensky said.

Trump and Zelensky’s past has been rocky, with the former U.S. president infamously pressuring the Ukrainian leader to open an investigation into Biden and his son Hunter Biden in exchange for releasing about $400 million in military aid. The call, which took place in July 2019 while Trump was in the White House, led to his first impeachment.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Trump brought up the call, insisting he had done nothing wrong and that his impeachment was a “hoax”

The meeting comes as Harris was en route to the southern border. A day prior, after meeting with Zelensky, she slammed so-called Ukraine peace plans from “some” in the United States as proposals for surrender. 

“There are some in my country who would instead force Ukraine to give up large parts of its sovereign territory, who would demand that Ukraine accept neutrality, and would require Ukraine to forgo security relationships with other nations,” Harris said at a media appearance alongside Zelensky.

“These proposals are the same as those of Putin and let us be clear, they are not proposals for peace. Instead, they are proposals for surrender, which is dangerous and unacceptable,” she added.

Updated: 1:24 p.m.