Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky met with former US president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during his trip to the United States. The meeting broke down in recent days due to bruised egos.
Both met in Trump’s high-rise building, Trump Tower in New York, as American media consistently reported. “It’s an honor to have the president with us,” Trump said. “We agree that the war in Ukraine must be stopped,” Zelensky said.
Politicians have a checkered past
Trump announced the meeting at a press conference on Thursday evening. Zelensky asked for it. The last time the two met was about five years ago. Trump also faced impeachment proceedings during his time in office for trying to apply financial pressure to force Zelensky to launch legal proceedings against the son of his Democratic rival Joe Biden.
“We have a very good relationship and as you know, I also have a very good relationship with President Putin,” Trump said in front of his guest. If he wins the presidential elections in November, the war in Ukraine will be resolved ‘very quickly’, the Republican politician emphasizes. However, Zelensky publicly doubted whether the American politician had a plan, prompting the Republican to cancel a meeting.
Republicans attacked Zelenskyj head-on
Trump criticizes the enormous financial and military support from the US to Ukraine. Only on Wednesday did he attack the Ukrainian president head-on at a campaign rally, accusing him of refusing to make a “deal” to end the war despite billions in US aid.
Zelensky is “probably the greatest businessman in the world,” Trump said. “Every time he came to our country, he took with him $60 billion. “We continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal, Zelensky,” criticized the ex-president, who also described Ukraine as practically “wiped out.”
Trump had repeatedly announced that if re-elected he would end the war immediately. At the beginning of this year, he turned down an invitation from Zelensky to visit the front in Ukraine.
The fear of Trump
Zelensky is currently in the United States for the United Nations General Assembly. In Washington, he met with US President Joe Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, among others, to promote his country’s continued support in its defense against Russia. Ukraine fears that if Trump is re-elected, he could make a deal with aggressor Putin on their backs.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
