The Ukrainian leader is scheduled to be in the US to attend the UN General Assembly
Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has indicated that he may meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the latter’s upcoming trip to the US for a UN meeting next week. According to multiple US media outlets, his Democratic rival Kamala Harris has also planned a meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
When asked by reporters on Wednesday if he would have a face-to-face meeting with Zelensky, Trump responded, “probably, yes,” as reported by Reuters.
Meanwhile, CNN and Bloomberg have reported that Vice President Harris is likely to meet with Zelensky in Washington DC during the same timeframe. John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, told reporters that he has “little doubt that if the opportunity presents itself, and both of them can have another conversation, they will, but you’ll have to talk to her staff.”
Zelensky is expected to address the UN Security Council on September 24, according to Reuters, citing Slovenia’s mission to the organization. The meeting will coincide with a gathering of world leaders in New York for the annual UN General Assembly session.
The last time Trump spoke with Zelensky was in June when the Republican pledged to bring an end to the Ukraine conflict. Harris also met Zelensky in June at what he called a “peace summit” in Lucerne, Switzerland.
While Harris has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, Trump has taken a more ambiguous stance. During his debate with Harris last week, he evaded a question about whether he wanted Ukraine to win, stating only that he wanted hostilities to end.
The Republican has repeatedly vowed to negotiate an end to the conflict within 24 hours if elected, even before taking office. Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, has suggested that a potential peace deal could include barring Ukraine from joining NATO and establishing a “demilitarized zone” along the current frontlines.
Zelensky has said he is willing to listen to Trump’s proposals on how to achieve peace. However, this week he noted that Trump’s narrative on the matter might be just an “election message.” “Sometimes they are not very real,” he added.