Former President Donald Trump announced that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be meeting in person on Friday morning.
The Republican presidential nominee shared the news with reporters in a press conference Thursday, the same day he posted a private message that was purportedly sent to him by the Ukraine leader.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform to share an image of the message sent to him on Zelenskyy’s behalf by Denys Sienik, deputy ambassador of Ukraine. The post by Trump showed Zelenskyy asking the former president to meet up in New York this week.
“Dear Donald, I hope you’re doing well. I recall our recent phone call — it was really good,” the message purportedly from Zelenskyy read.
“All of us in Ukraine want to end this war with a just peace. And we know that without America this is impossible to achieve. That’s why we have to strive to understand each other and remain in close contact,” the message continued.
“Days ago, we requested a meeting with you, and I really want to hear your thoughts directly, and firsthand. You know I always speak with great respect about everything connected to you, and that’s how it should be,” Zelenskyy said. “I can be in New York on Friday, which would be a good time to meet. I believe it’s important for us to have a personal contact and to understand each other 100%.”
“Let me know if you are in the city at that time — I would really like for our meeting to take place, as part of our efforts to help us end this war in a just way,” the letter concluded.
Zelenskyy met Thursday with both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and now, as Trump revealed, he will be meeting with the former president on Friday.
(Video Credit: Associated Press)
“President Zelenskyy has asked to meet with me, and I will be meeting with him tomorrow morning at around 9:45 in Trump Tower,” the former president told reporters at a news conference on Thursday. “It’s a shame what’s happening in Ukraine, so many deaths, so much destruction. It’s a horrible thing.”
“Let’s get some peace. We need peace. We need to stop the death and destruction. Don’t you think? Wouldn’t that be nice?” he added. “I look forward to seeing him tomorrow. I believe I will be able to make a deal between President Putin and President Zelensky, quite quickly.”
Zelenskyy told the New Yorker in an interview, “My feeling is that Trump doesn’t really know how to stop the war even if he might think he knows how.”
In the same interview, he had referred to Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance as “too radical.” The Ohio senator responded, “I don’t appreciate Zelenskyy coming to this country and telling the American taxpayers what to do.”
.@JDVance reacts to Zelensky criticizing him as “too radical” in the New Yorker:
“I don’t appreciate Zelensky coming to this country and telling the American taxpayers what they ought to do. He ought to say thank you to the American taxpayers.” pic.twitter.com/2kdQrfKwcx
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 26, 2024
“Russia didn’t invade a single one of their neighbors for the four years that Donald Trump was president, and the president before him, and the president after him, somehow Russia keeps invading their neighbors, it’s because they don’t respect American leadership and because our leaders aren’t smart,” Vance said.
“So what Donald Trump brings back is not just strength but intelligence to the Oval Office, and I think that’s all you really need to end this war, because look, it’s not in America’s interest, it’s not in Ukraine’s interest, it’s not in Europe’s interest for this war to go on indefinitely,” he added.
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