'As Next US Prez ...': Donald Trump Vows To End Russia-Ukraine War After 'Very Good Call' With Zelenskyy
Trump and Zelensky had a phone call, marking their first conversation since Trump left office.
US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Friday said he “had a very good phone call” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and vowed to end the Russia-Ukraine war through negotiations. Zelenskyy also confirmed the conversation and expressed gratitude for US military aid.
The call between the two leaders, who have had a complicated relationship, marks their first conversation since Trump left the White House. It also comes amid concerns in Europe about what Trump’s policy toward the Russia-Ukraine war would be if he were to win the presidential election in November.
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and I had a very good phone call earlier today. He congratulated me on a very successful Republican National Convention and becoming the Republican nominee for President of the United States,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and I had a very good phone call earlier today. He congratulated me on a very successful Republican National Convention and becoming the Republican nominee for President of the United States.
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 19, 2024
He condemned the heinous assassination attempt last…
The former US President said Zelenskyy condemned the "heinous assassination attempt" on him last Saturday and remarked about the "American people coming together in the spirit of Unity during these times.”
He continued, “I appreciate President Zelenskyy for reaching out because I, as your next President of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives and devastated countless innocent families. Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity.”
Notably, the United States has provided tens of billions of dollars in military assistance for Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, if Trump wins the November election, it would put Washington's continued support to Kyiv into question.
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Zelenskyy Condemns Attack On Trump
Talking about his conversation with Trump, Zelenskyy said he congratulated the f78-year-old leader on formally becoming the Republican Party's presidential nominee. "I spoke with Donald Trump to congratulate him on the Republican nomination and condemn the shocking assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. I wished him strength and absolute safety in the future. I noted the vital bipartisan and bicameral American support for protecting our nation's freedom and independence," Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
I spoke with @realDonaldTrump to congratulate him on the Republican nomination and condemn the shocking assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. I wished him strength and absolute safety in the future.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 19, 2024
I noted the vital bipartisan and bicameral American support for protecting our…
He said Ukraine will always be grateful to the United States for its help in strengthening its ability to resist Russian terror, as Kremlin "attacks on our cities and villages continue every day."
"We agreed with President Trump to discuss at a personal meeting what steps can make peace fair and truly lasting," he added.
Trump-Zelenskyy Relationship
Trump's relationship with Zelenskyy famously goes back to his time in the White House. In 2019, Trump was impeached for withholding military aid to Ukraine while pressuring Zelenskyy to help him dig up dirt on his election rival Biden -- a race he went on to lose in 2020.
Zelenskyy said earlier this week that he and Trump would "work together" if the Republican won the White House. "I'm not worried about this," he told a news conference.
The Ukrainian President, however, declined to say whether he was worried about US President Joe Biden, who has been facing calls to drop his reelection campaign following a disastrous debate performance and questions over his health and mental acuity.
He did, however, acknowledge that "turbulence" during the US election cycle was having a "big impact" on his country.
Trump's Support To Russia
This is not the first time Trump claimed he would end the war very quickly, without offering details as to how. Last week, the ex-president hosted Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban at his Florida estate, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month.
Trump's frequent praise for Putin and reluctance to outright criticize the Russian invasion has stirred concerns among Ukraine's allies that he would force the country into accepting partial defeat, according to a report by AFP.
He has also repeatedly suggested backing away from NATO, even undermining the alliance's collective defense guarantee by saying he would encourage Russia to attack any members not who had not met their financial obligations.
Trump's running mate JD Vance also reportedly leads the isolationist wing of congressional Republicans, who argue the United States should drop aid to Ukraine. Vance was one of the fiercest opponents of the approval of USD 61 billion in new military aid for Ukraine, which was stalled by Republican lawmakers for months earlier this year -- a time in which Russia made battlefield gains, the AFP report said.
Trump told the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday that he would bring an end to raging international crises, saying he could "stop wars with a telephone call."
"I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created, including the horrible war with Russia and Ukraine," Trump said, without elaborating on how.
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