President Donald Trump has met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss plans to end Ukraine’s war with Russia.
If he’s re-elected in November, Trump said he will bring the war to an “end” with a “deal” that is “fair” for all sides.
The 45th president invited Zelensky to discuss plans with him at his New York City home Trump Tower.
“It’s very important to share our plan, all of our steps on how we can strengthen Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky explained to reporters that he decided to meet with both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris because “after November, we don’t know who Americans [will decide to] be the president.”
Speaking after the meeting, Trump said:
“We both want to see this end and we both want to see a fair deal made.
“And it’s got to be fair.
“And I think that’ll happen at the right time.
“I think it’s going to happen.”
Neither Trump nor Zelensky publicly explained the details of a potential deal.
“It’s an honor to have the president with us, and he’s been through a lot,” Trump said of Zelensky’s visit.
At one point, Trump said, “[Zelensky has] gone through hell, his country has gone through hell.”
The meeting at Trump Tower comes just after Zelensky met with Harris, the Democrat presidential nominee, in Washington, D.C.
Harris and Zelensky gave a joint address at the White House on Thursday.
Harris pledged unwavering support for Ukraine to continue fighting an endless war with Russia.
She criticized Trump’s consideration of negotiated peace at the cost of some captured regions of the country.
“In candor, I share with you, Mr. President, there are some in my country who would, instead, force Ukraine to give up large parts of its sovereign territory, who would demand that Ukraine accept neutrality and would require Ukraine to forego security relationships with other nations,” Harris said.
However, the vice president nor any other Biden-Harris administration official has yet to offer a single solution for ending the war.
Zelensky affirmed on Friday after meeting with Trump that the 45th president shares the “common view that the war in Ukraine has to be stopped.”
“He’s going through a tremendous amount,” Trump said on Friday.
“We’re going to have a discussion and see what we can come up with.”
A brief exchange between the two leaders highlighted the high stakes of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
It also brings attention and America’s role in either ending the conflict or perpetuating it.
“We have a very good relationship,” Trump said.
“I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin.
“And I think if we win we’re going to get [the war] resolved very quickly.”
“I hope we have more good relations,” Zelensky interjected, emphasizing his desire to work more closely with Trump in the future.
“It takes two to tango, and we will,” Trump responded.
