Trump to hold surprise meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky

Former US President and Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump announced that he will hold an important meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid debates over his country's support for Ukraine. In his statement, Trump described what is happening in Ukraine as "a shame," adding, "So much death, so much destruction. It's a horrible thing."

Trump expressed his concern that Europe contributes only a small fraction of the financial support provided by the US, and shared his views on geographical distance and international responsibilities. "The distance between the US and Russia shows that we should not ignore the seriousness of the situation," he said.

The meeting will take place at Trump Tower in New York and follows Zelensky's meetings with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden recently announced a new military aid package for Ukraine totaling 7.9 billion dollars and emphasized that their support for Kyiv to win the war will continue.

The meeting between Trump and Zelensky is notable due to the mutual criticisms the two leaders have exchanged recently. Trump stated that both he and Ohio Senator James David Vance oppose the aid the US provides to Ukraine.

In an interview with The New Yorker magazine on September 23, Zelensky pointed to the uncertainties regarding how Trump would resolve the Ukraine conflict and described Vance as "radical." Trump, in a rally he held on September 24, made sarcastic comments about Zelensky, saying, "He wants the Democrats to win this election so badly." Trump had described Zelensky as "the greatest salesman in history," stating, "Every time he comes into the country, he walks away with 60 billion dollars."