Trump vows to end Ukraine war as he meets Zelensky

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said he would work with both Ukraine and Russia to end their war, as he stood next to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky before their meeting in New York.

Speaking to reporters at Trump Tower, Mr Zelensky said he wants to discuss with Mr Trump his "victory plan" for Ukraine.

Mr Trump praised Mr Zelensky, but said he also had a solid relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We have a very good relationship (with Zelensky), and I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin," Mr Trump said.

"And I think if we win, I think we're going to get it resolved very quickly," he added, referring to the 5 November US presidential election.

US media had earlier reported the meeting at Trump Tower in New York would not go ahead after Mr Trump was offended by the Ukrainian president's comments to The New Yorker magazine, in which he said that the Republican "doesn't really know how to stop the war".

It comes as Democratic candidate and US Vice President Kamala Harris criticised the former president’s "surrender" policy on Ukraine.

Mr Zelensky presented a so-called "victory" plan to US President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris during a meeting at the White House, with Mr Biden announcing a new military aid package worth nearly $8 billion for a struggling Ukraine.

Standing with Mr Zelensky at her side, Ms Harris did not mention Mr Trump by name but said there were "some in my country who would instead force Ukraine to give up large parts of its sovereign territory."

"These proposals are the same of those of (President Vladimir) Putin. And let us be clear, they are not proposals for peace. Instead, they are proposals for surrender," she said, referring to the Russian leader.

During a separate meeting in the Oval Office with Mr Zelensky, Mr Biden pledged that "Russia will not prevail" in the war it launched in February 2022.

"Ukraine will prevail, and we'll continue to stand by you every step of the way," Mr Biden said.

Mr Zelensky replied that "we deeply appreciate that Ukraine and America have stood side by side."

But Mr Zelensky is navigating the choppy waters of a US presidential election on 5 November that could sink the staunch support that he has received from the United States in the past two-and-a-half years.

'Make a deal'

Mr Trump, who has long been critical of the billions of dollars in US support for Ukraine, accused Mr Zelensky on the eve of the visit of refusing to strike a deal with Russia.

Mr Trump had also repeated his longstanding claim that he would swiftly cut a peace deal - which Ukraine fears would involve giving up land Russia has already captured.

"I believe I will be able to make a deal between President Putin and President Zelensky and quite quickly," he said.

He also suggested he was displeased with Mr Zelensky's recent comments to The New Yorker magazine in which Ukraine's leader said he believed Mr Trump "doesn't really know how to stop the war."

Trump meets British PM Starmer

Earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Mr Trump during a visit to New York.

Mr Starmer visited Trump Tower for talks ahead of November's US election. Mr Starmer said he wanted to meet Mr Trump face to face because, he said he is "a great believer in personal relationships on the world stage".

The meeting has the potential to be diplomatically awkward, not just because of Mr Trump's bombastic style but also because Mr Starmer has not been able to schedule a similar appointment with Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Starmer told reporters: "I've said a number of times, I want to meet both candidates. We've now got the opportunity to meet Trump, which is good. Obviously, I still want to speak to Harris as well."

Speaking at a press conference before they met, Mr Trump said he thought Mr Starmer was "very nice"