WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower in New York on Friday morning.
Trump was previously not expected to meet with the Ukrainian president, who has already met with both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday. Both Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, have been critical of US aid to Ukraine.
“It is a shame what is happening in Ukraine: so many deaths, so much destruction. It’s a terrible thing,” Trump said on Thursday. “And one of the things that really bothers me is the fact that Europe pays only a small part of the money that the United States of America pays, and that we have an ocean between Russia and ourselves. They don’t. “
In what might have been one of his last visits to the Biden administration on U.S. soil, Zelenskyy traveled to the White House on Thursday to meet with Biden, just weeks before his successor will be determined in November’s presidential election.
Biden announced nearly $8 billion in a new aid package for Ukraine, which Zelenskyy called “a big help.” The assistance consists of $5.5 billion, as a result of the President directing the Defense Department to “commit all remaining security assistance funding allocated to Ukraine by the end of my term,” and $2.4 billion in aid. security assistance for the country. The president also said the US will provide Ukraine with the Joint Standoff Weapon, which has long-range capabilities, among other security measures.
“Let me be clear: Russia will not prevail in a war,” Biden said ahead of his meeting with Zelensky. “Russia will not prevail. Ukraine will prevail, and we will continue to stand by you every step of the way.”
The visit to the White House underscored Democratic leaders’ staunch support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, but portends a possible change in the countries’ relationship if Trump wins the election.
During the presidential debate in September, Trump was asked twice whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war. Both times he sidestepped the question and avoided saying he wanted the U.S. ally to win. Instead he said, “I want the war to stop.”
Trump’s planned meeting with Zelenskyy comes days after Zelenskyy called Vance “too radical,” according to a story published Sunday in The New Yorker. The story also quoted Zelenskyy as saying, “My feeling is that Trump doesn’t really know how to stop the war, even if he could.” think he knows how.”
Vance responded to Zelenskyy on Wednesday, saying, “I don’t appreciate Zelenskyy coming to this country and telling American taxpayers what to do.”
The Ohio senator also said Wednesday that “everything is on the table” when asked if he believes Ukraine should give up land in exchange for ending the war.
Zelenskyy and Harris have met seven times, the leaders said today, and the Democratic nominee has reiterated Biden’s steadfast support for the beleaguered country.
“We have a common position on the things that need to be done,” Zelenskyy said ahead of a meeting with the vice president.
“There are those 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 who would demand that Ukraine abandon security relations with other countries,” Harris said ahead of time. to her meeting with Zelenskyy, which appears to refer to Trump. “These proposals are the same as Putin’s and let’s be clear: they are not proposals for peace. Instead, they are proposals for surrender, which is dangerous and unacceptable.”
Zelenskyy delivered a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, urging support for his country against the Russian invasion.
“I want peace for my people – real peace and just peace. And I ask for your support, from all the nations of the world. We do not divide the world,” he said during his speech. ‘I ask the same of you: do not divide the world. Be united nations, and that will bring us peace.”
According to the White House, Biden and Zelenskyy will meet again in Germany on October 12.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
