Donald Trump met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday at Trump Tower in New York, marking a significant moment in the evolving dynamics of U.S. foreign policy towards the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The meeting, unexpected until just hours prior, came despite Trump’s previous criticisms of Zelensky on the campaign trail.
Speaking alongside the Ukrainian leader, Trump stated that it was time to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“It has to end, [Zelensky] is going through hell, his country’s going through hell like few countries have ever,” Trump told reporters, emphasizing the urgency of resolving the conflict.
He added, “If we win [the election], we’re going to get it resolved very quickly.” Trump reiterated his belief that his personal relationships with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin could be instrumental in brokering peace.
Zelensky echoed a desire for resolution, stating that he and Trump shared a “common view that the war has to be stopped and Putin can’t win.”
He also noted plans to discuss the specifics of his “victory plan” with Trump.
The relationship between Trump and Zelensky has been historically fraught. In 2019, Trump was impeached over accusations that he pressured Zelensky to investigate then-presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
The call between the two leaders led to allegations that Trump withheld military aid in an effort to extract political favors, though standing beside Zelensky on Friday, Trump praised his handling of that situation.
Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Trump has occasionally repeated Moscow’s talking points and avoided explicitly supporting a Ukrainian victory.
During a presidential debate in September, he sidestepped a direct question on the matter but has consistently claimed he could “work out something” to settle the war if re-elected. However, he has refused to clarify whether this plan would involve Ukraine ceding any territory to Russia.
While Zelensky has been in the U.S. since Sunday, their meeting only became certain late Thursday, when Trump shared a screenshot of a text message from Zelensky. The message expressed the importance of personal contact between the two leaders.
Tensions between Zelensky and the Republican Party have been palpable throughout the week, especially following the Ukrainian president’s visit to an arms factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden’s hometown. The trip drew criticism from leading Republicans, who accused Zelensky of engaging in partisan politics. House Speaker Mike Johnson labeled the visit a “partisan campaign event” and claimed it amounted to “election interference” in a public letter.
Trump himself has become increasingly critical of U.S. military aid to Ukraine, describing Zelensky in recent weeks as “the greatest salesman on Earth.” Zelensky, on the other hand, has expressed skepticism about Trump’s ability to end the war, recently telling The New Yorker that Trump “doesn’t really know how to stop the war.”
When asked about these comments on Thursday, Trump dismissed Zelensky’s critique, saying, “I do believe I disagree with him. He doesn’t know me.”
Earlier in the week, Zelensky met with President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris at the White House to discuss Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to pressure Russia into a diplomatic end to the war. During that visit, Biden announced an additional $7.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, as Zelensky’s diplomatic tour continued in the U.S., the war in Ukraine showed no signs of abating.
On Thursday night, Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian port city of Izmail killed three people and injured 14, including several children. Russia has frequently targeted grain export facilities in the city, and Romanian officials noted that one Russian drone likely crossed into their territory, raising concerns about NATO security.
As the conflict grinds on, Zelensky’s meeting with Trump raises questions about how U.S. foreign policy towards the war might shift depending on the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
For now, Zelensky continues to seek international support for his “victory plan,” while Trump’s focus remains on a swift resolution to the war—though what that would look like remains to be seen.
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