Donald Trump has stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy not only failed to end the war with Russia but also helped start it, despite the bloodshed started when Russia began invading Ukrainian sovereign territory.
In addition to his comments, Trump stated on the campaign trail that Zelenskiy is “the greatest salesman on Earth” for using this war to solicit and receive billions of dollars in U.S. military aid since the conflict broke out in 2022. He has also criticized Zelenskiy for failing to seek peace with Moscow.
During their September meeting in New York, Zelenskiy presented his “victory plan” to end the war to Trump. However, the Republican former president suggested that Ukraine may have to cede some of its lands to Russia to make a peace deal, a concession Kyiv would not accept.
These statements indicate that Trump may shift U.S. policy toward Russia if he wins the Nov. 5 election. He has repeatedly claimed that he could end the conflict before taking office in January but has not specified how.
In contrast, his presidential rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine and has portrayed a victory for the eastern European nation as a vital U.S. national security interest.
