Ukraine’s Zelensky presents ‘victory plan’ to Trump at New York meeting
The Republican US presidential candidate praised Zelensky, but also touted his ‘very good relationship’ with Russian leader Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his war “victory plan” to Donald Trump during a closed-door meeting on Friday, after the Republican US presidential candidate said he would work with both Ukraine and Russia to end their conflict.
The meeting between the two men at Trump Tower in New York was their first in-person encounter since 2019. Zelensky said he was talking with both Trump and his Democratic rival in the November 5 election, US Vice-President Kamala Harris, because Ukraine needed strong US support in its continuing war with Russia.
Trump praised 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,” Trump told reporters. “And I think if we win, I think we’re going to get it resolved very quickly,” he added.
Zelensky has used his US visit to promote his “victory plan”, which a US official described as a repackaged request for more weapons and a lifting of restrictions on the use of long-range missiles. The plan presupposes the ultimate defeat of Russia in the war, the official said. Some officials see the aim as unrealistic.
When asked on Thursday by a reporter if Ukraine should hand over some of the Ukrainian land Russia has captured to end the war – a non-starter for Kyiv – Trump replied: “We’ll see what happens.”