by Nicholas Ballasy
Former President Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, met on Friday with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at Trump Tower in New York City and said if he wins, there would be a “fair” and “rapid” deal to end the war between Ukraine and Russia.
At the top of meeting, alongside Zelensky, Trump said the Ukraine leader has “been through a tremendous amount” and that the two would have a good discussion.
“It has to end,” he said of the war. “He’s gone through hell.”
Trump also said he and Zelensky have a “very good relationship.”
Zelensky said the two would discuss the details of what a victory will look like in Ukraine.
“Ukrainians have to prevail,” he said.
Trump first announced that the meeting would take place during a press conference in New York on Thursday.
“As you know, President Zelensky has asked to meet with me, and I will be meeting with him tomorrow morning at around 9:45 in Trump Tower,” Trump said.
In a post-meeting press availability, Trump said it’s “too early” to outline a potential deal between Ukraine and Russia to end the war but he predicted the conflict would come to a close if he wins in November.
“I believe if I win we are going to have a fair and actually very rapid deal. It should stop and the president wants it to stop and I’m sure President Putin wants it to stop and that’s a good combination so we want to have a fair deal for everybody,” Trump said.
When asked what he envisions as a fair deal, Trump said, “I have my own ideas and I’m sure the president definitely has his own ideas” but it’s “too early to say.”
Zelensky said that the war “shouldn’t have started” in the first place.
“We need to do everything to pressure him [Putin] to stop the war,” Zelensky said. “He’s on our territory.”
Trump repeated that the war “should have never happened” and it’s a “complicated puzzle” but “we’ll get it solved.”
The GOP nominee questioned how some of Ukraine’s “beautiful” cities can be rebuilt to look the same as before the war.
Trump’s comment prompted Zelensky to invite him to come to Ukraine to see their cities.
“You have to come, by the way, to see our cities,” he said.
“I will. It’s a beautiful country,” Trump replied.
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Just the News reporter Nicholas Ballasy has been breaking news for more than a decade in the nation’s capital and questioning political leaders about the most pressing issues facing the nation. Since 2008, Ballasy has interviewed former President Bill Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former President Donald Trump, Sen. Mitt Romney, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. John McCain, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and more.
