Zelenskyy Meets Trump in New York, Discussing War in Ukraine
Former President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower in New York on Friday morning. During the meeting, Trump vowed to bring a swift end to the war between Russia and Ukraine if elected president.
"We have a very good relationship, and I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin," Trump said before the meeting. "And I think if we win, I think we're going to get it resolved very quickly."
Zelenskyy, who was in the U.S. to attend the U.N. General Assembly and meet with officials, interjected to note that he hopes he and Trump "have more good relations," compared with Putin. Trump replied that it "takes two to tango."
The meeting comes amidst a tense relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy. Trump has been critical of U.S. funding to Ukraine and Zelenskyy, while Zelenskyy has criticized Trump's handling of the war.
After the meeting, Trump told Fox News that he "learned a lot" from his sitdown with the Ukrainian leader.
"I think I haven't changed from the standpoint, we both want to see it end and a fair deal made. It has to be fair. I think it will happen at the right time. I think it is going to happen," Trump said. "The president wants it to end as quickly as possible. He wants a fair transaction to take place."
"Putin killed so many people and, of course, we need to do everything to pressure him to stop this war," Zelenskyy said. "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."
In a post on Truth Social later Friday, Trump wrote that the pair had a "great meeting."
"If I'm elected President, the war with Russia and Ukraine will end quickly. If not, that war will never end, and will phase into WORLD WAR III," Trump said.
Trump has frequently claimed that he would be able to end the war in Ukraine quickly, in as little as "a day." However, he has not provided details on how he would achieve this.