Zelenskyy and Trump meet amid tensions over Ukraine conflict

Ukrainian President seeks a ‘just peace’ as former U.S. President says he maintains ‘good relations’ with both Russia and Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met former U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday (September 27, 2024) morning in New York after simmering tensions between the two politicians over divergent views on resolving the Russia-Ukraine war.

The recent U.S. assistance to Ukraine had cast doubt on whether the meeting would take place.

Also Read:Zelenskyy visiting White House as partisan divide grows over Ukraine war

The meeting, which lasted just under 45 minutes, took place at Trump Tower in Manhattan during Mr. Zelenskyy’s visit for the United Nations General Assembly.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr. Trump remarked that he maintained “very good” relations with both Mr. Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In response, Mr. Zelenskyy expressed hope that Mr. Trump had better relations with Ukraine.

In a September 22 interview with The New Yorker, Mr. Zelenskyy had criticized Mr. Trump, stating that he believed the former president did not have a viable plan to end the war, and referred to Mr. Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, as “too radical.” On Wednesday, Mr. Trump accused Mr. Zelenskyy of making “little nasty aspersions” against him while remaining vague about his stance on the war’s outcome, emphasizing the need for it to conclude.

Mr. Trump said that if he won the U.S Presidential election, he would negoatiate a “fair and rapid deal”.

“It should stop. The President (Zelenskyy) wants it to stop. And I’m sure President Putin wants it to stop,” he said. Asked what he would consider “fair”, Mr. Trump said it was too early to define.

Mr. Zelenksyy stressed the need for a “just peace”, adding that Mr. Putin needed to be pressured to stop the war. “He is on our territory, that is most important to understand,” he remarked.

Mr. Zelenskyy was in Washington DC on Thursday (September 26, 2024) to present his ‘Victory Plan’ to U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also the Democratic candidate for the presidency.

Mr. Zelenskyy’s visit to an ammunition factory on September 22 in Scranton, Mr. Biden’s hometown in the election swing state of Pennsylvania, had drawn criticism from Republicans. The factory makes 155 mm artillery shells; the U.S. has sent Ukraine 3 million of these, the Associated Press had reported.

Accompanied by Democratic leaders, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a strong Harris supporter, Mr. Zelenskyy faced scrutiny from House Oversight Chair James Comer, who launched an investigation into the Scranton visit. With the U.S. general election looming next month, House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican) condemned the visit as a partisan campaign event, labeling it “election interference” in an open letter to Mr. Zelenskyy. He called for the immediate dismissal of Ukraine’s envoy in Washington, Oksana Markarova.

Published - September 28, 2024 12:13 am IST