The Republican presidential nominee has signaled he would prefer cease-fire negotiations over continued fighting in the Russia–Ukraine war.
Former President Donald Trump will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Trump Tower property in New York City on Sept. 27.
The Ukrainian leader has been traveling in the United States this week, making appearances at the United Nations and meeting with world leaders to promote his so-called “victory plan” to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Zelenskyy met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on Sept. 26 to discuss the victory plan.
He indicated earlier in the week that he hoped to also share the victory plan with Trump, who could prove critical to its success should he defeat Harris and retake the White House after the November elections.
“As you know, President Zelensky has asked to meet with me,” Trump said at a press conference in New York on Sept. 26.
Throughout the campaign cycle, Trump has signaled a reluctance to continue arming and funding Ukraine and has instead indicated he would push to negotiate an end to the war.
In a Sept. 12 podcast appearance, Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), said Trump’s peace vision could entail establishing a demilitarized zone within Ukraine, potentially along the current “line of demarcation” in the ongoing conflict.
Zelenskyy, responding in a Sept. 22 interview with The New Yorker, said Vance is “too radical” and criticized any proposal that would “make Ukraine shoulder the costs of stopping the war by giving up its territories.”
At a campaign rally in North Carolina on Sept. 25, Trump criticized Biden and Zelenskyy’s approach to the war, stating, “We continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refused to make a deal—Zelenskyy.”
Trump shared a screenshot on his Truth social media profile on Sept. 26, purporting to show a message from one of Zelenskyy’s representatives, requesting to meet and discuss the Ukraine plan. The purported message states Zelenskyy always speaks with “great respect about everything connected to you, and that’s how it should be.”
A reporter asked Trump, during his Sept. 26 press conference, about claims Zelenskyy doesn’t think he understands what it takes to end the war.
“Oh, then I should immediately cancel my appointment now,” Trump quickly replied before adding, “He knows. He knows I understand.”
Ahead of her meeting with Zelenskyy on Sept. 26, Harris said, “Nothing about the end of this war can be decided without Ukraine.”
Harris then said “some in my country” would pressure Ukraine to give up some of its territory to stop the fighting.
She said the proposals are the same as those Russian President Vladimir Putin is offering and should not be seen as true proposals for peace but rather “proposals for surrender.”
Trump, responding to Harris’s remarks, saying his peace plan is not a surrender.
“My strategy is to save lives. I want to save lives,” he said.