In a much-anticipated meeting at Trump Tower, former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, marking their first face-to-face since 2019.
With just over a month remaining before the U.S. presidential election, Trump is positioning himself as the leader capable of ending the war and restoring global peace.
Trump shared a message from Ukraine’s Deputy Ambassador on his Truth Social account, expressing a desire to meet and seek U.S. support in ending the conflict.
The message from Zelensky read:
“Dear Donald,
I hope you’re doing well.
We all want to end this war with a just peace, and we know that without America, this is impossible. It’s important for us to remain in close contact. I’d like to meet with you in New York to hear your thoughts firsthand as part of our efforts to end the war in a just way.
Sincerely, Volodymyr”
Speaking to reporters, Trump emphasized the importance of working with both sides to bring the war to a close, stating that the situation in Ukraine is unprecedented.
“It has to end at some point. Zelensky’s country has gone through hell, and it’s a terrible situation,” Trump said.
Trump also noted his strong relationships with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing confidence that if he were to win the upcoming U.S. election, the conflict could be resolved quickly.
“I think if we win, we’re going to get it resolved very quickly. I really think we’re going to get it resolved,” Trump remarked.
During the meeting, Trump recalled Zelensky’s support during the Democrats’ impeachment proceedings against him.
He praised Zelensky for his honesty during the investigation into Trump’s 2019 phone call with the Ukrainian president, which was a central issue in the impeachment.
Trump emphasized how Zelensky could have grandstanded but chose to tell the truth instead, stating, “President Trump did absolutely nothing wrong.”
Trump expressed his gratitude for Zelensky’s handling of the situation, noting that it helped him win the impeachment battle. “He could have played cute, but he didn’t.
He said, ‘President Trump did nothing wrong,’ and I appreciated that. It helped us win the impeachment hoax.”
Trump further reiterated his optimism about resolving the war, citing his good relationships with both Zelensky and Putin.
He emphasized that if he returns to the presidency, he would work to quickly end the conflict, believing that his diplomatic connections with both leaders would help broker peace.
In his closing remarks, Trump reinforced his belief that his strong ties to both parties involved would enable him to bring about a swift resolution to the war.
“We’re going to work very hard to get this settled, and I believe we can do it very quickly if we win,” he concluded.
