Donald Trump to Meet Ukrainian President Zelensky at Trump Tower

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced that he will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday at Trump Tower in New York at 9:45 am. This meeting follows Zelensky’s discussions with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington, where they talked about strengthening Ukraine’s position in the ongoing war with Russia.

During a press conference in New York, Trump said, “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. And it’s a shame what’s happening in Ukraine–so many deaths, so much destruction. It’s a horrible thing.”

Earlier, Trump had criticized Zelensky, saying, “He’s making little nasty aspersions towards your favourite president, me.” This statement was made in North Carolina on Wednesday.

Trump’s announcement came on the same day Zelensky visited the White House. Trump’s stance on Ukraine has been controversial, as he has previously criticized US assistance to Ukraine and praised Russian President Vladimir Putin. In contrast, Biden has reaffirmed US support for Ukraine, pledging to provide the necessary assistance to help Ukraine win the war. Recently, the US announced a new package of weapons and nearly USD 8 billion in aid for Ukraine.

During his meeting with Biden, Zelensky expressed gratitude for US support, highlighting the strong partnership between the two nations since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Zelensky shared on social media, “During the meeting with President Joe Biden, I presented the Victory Plan to him. We discussed details to strengthen the plan, coordinated our positions, views, and approaches, and tasked our teams with holding consultations on the next steps.”

Biden also expressed solidarity with Ukraine, stating, “Today, President Zelensky and I sat down again to discuss strengthening Ukraine’s position on the battlefield and helping Ukraine rebuild stronger than before. Two things are clear: Ukraine will win this war. And the US will continue to stand by them every step of the way.”

Zelensky also shared details of the Victory Plan with Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizing the importance of coordination with the United States. He stated, “We must end this war and achieve just peace. We must protect our people – Ukrainian families, Ukrainian children–and everyone from Putin’s evil. We are grateful to America for supporting Ukraine throughout this time.”

The Department of Defence announced a significant new security assistance package, committing an additional USD 2.4 billion in support through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). This package will provide Ukraine with additional air defence, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and air-to-ground munitions, as well as strengthen Ukraine’s defence industrial base and support its maintenance and sustainment requirements.