On Tuesday, Donald Trump commended Russia‘s military history while criticizing US aid to Ukraine, asserting that he would swiftly end the war if elected president. Speaking in Savannah, Georgia, Trump ridiculed President Joe Biden‘s pledge to support Ukraine until victory, citing Russia’s past successes against Hitler’s Nazi regime in World War II and Napoleon Bonaparte’s failed invasion.
Trump insisted on the US “getting out” of the conflict, though he did not provide specifics on how he would negotiate an end to US involvement. He mimicked Biden’s statement, “We will not leave until we win,” and questioned the outcome if Ukraine were to emerge victorious, emphasizing Russia’s reputation for engaging in wars.
A Trump campaign official confirmed that the Republican nominee will not be meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his US visit to attend the UN General Assembly opening, despite previous statements from Ukrainian officials suggesting a planned meeting. Trump reiterated his portrayal of Zelenskyy as “the greatest salesman on Earth” for securing US aid, erroneously claiming that Zelenskyy receives “$100 billion” with each visit to the United States.
Trump and Zelenskyy’s history dates back to the former president’s time in the White House, during which Trump pressured Zelenskyy to investigate Biden and his son Hunter, as well as a cybersecurity firm falsely linked to Ukraine by Trump. This call and the White House’s hold on $400 million in military aid led to Trump’s first impeachment.
In a recent interview with the New Yorker, Zelenskyy suggested that Trump oversimplifies the conflict and that his running mate, JD Vance, advocates for Ukraine to “make a sacrifice” by relinquishing territories. Donald Trump Jr criticized Zelenskyy on X, questioning the Ukrainian leader’s criticism of the GOP ticket despite receiving substantial US taxpayer funding.
Zelenskyy at the United Nations
While Trump criticized US involvement in the war, Zelenskyy delivered a strong message at the United Nations, arguing that Russia must be forced into a peace settlement. “Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what’s needed,” Zelenskyy said, addressing the UN Security Council. He firmly rejected any negotiations on Moscow’s terms, calling such proposals “insanity.”
Zelenskyy’s speech followed reports of increased military support for Russia from Iran and North Korea. Zelenskyy, along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urged global powers to address these alliances, accusing Tehran and Pyongyang of assisting Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine.
(With inputs from agencies)