On September 27, former President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower in New York City for a private discussion. Following their meeting, they participated in an interview with Fox News.
During the interview, Zelenskyy stressed the urgent need to apply pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring an end to the war, asserting that all possible efforts must be made in this respect. Trump echoed this sentiment, reaffirming that his perspective on ending the conflict “as soon as possible” has not changed.
According to reports from CNN and the Kyiv Independent, Zelenskyy presented Trump with a “victory plan” during their closed-door meeting. Afterward, he clearly indicated his belief that Russian forces should be completely pushed out of Ukraine. In response, Trump expressed confidence that a fair agreement could be swiftly reached.
“I’ve learned a lot, but I don’t think my stance—wanting to see this war end or achieve a fair agreement—has changed,” Trump said. “It must be fair, and I believe it will happen at the right time.”
Trump added, “The war should stop. President Zelenskyy wants it to stop, and I’m sure President Putin wants it to stop as well. That’s a good combination. We want a fair agreement for everyone involved.”
When asked by a Fox News reporter about when he envisions this “fair” resolution to take place, Trump responded, “It’s too early to say.” He acknowledged that both he and Zelenskyy likely have differing perspectives, but emphasized that fairness is crucial.
Zelenskyy interjected, emphasizing the unjust nature of the invasion of Ukraine: “This war should never have started. The real issue is the number of people Putin has killed. We need to do everything possible to pressure him to stop this war. He is on our territory, and that is what’s most important. How do we stop this war? We must apply every effort to convince him.”
Trump agreed, noting that Zelenskyy “put it best,” and declared, “This is a war that should never have happened.” He mentioned that a future meeting between the two leaders is “very likely,” although he expressed concerns about Ukraine’s ability to rebuild and restore its cities, calling it “impossible.”
Zelenskyy then extended an invitation for Trump to visit Ukraine, to which Trump replied, “I will, it’s a beautiful country.”
This candid exchange sheds light on the complexities of international diplomacy amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as both leaders seek pathways toward resolution.
