Trump meets with Zelensky, says his views on ending the war ‘as soon as possible’ have not changed

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect comments made by President Volodymyr Zelensky during his evening address.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said everything possible must be done to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. Zelensky made the remarks on Sept. 27 after meeting with Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump in New York City.
“This war should not have started. I think that the problem is that Putin killed so many people, and of course, we need to do everything to pressure him to stop this war,” Zelensky said in a joint interview with Trump for Fox News.
Zelensky met with Trump for the first time in five years during his trip to the U.S., where he held a series of high-level meetings with foreign leaders, visited the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, and addressed the U.N. General Assembly.
Ukraine’s president also introduced Trump to his “victory plan,” which he had presented a day earlier to U.S. President Joe Biden and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
Following his meeting with Trump, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine seeks only a just peace and relies on continued U.S. support in the ongoing full-scale war launched by Russia.
Trump said he has “learned a lot” as the war continues but noted that his views on ending it “as soon as possible” have not changed.
“The president (Zelensky) wants it to end as quickly as possible. He wants a fair transaction to take place,” Trump said.
“If I win (in the presidential election), we’re going to have a very fair and, I think, rather rapid deal. It (the war) should stop, and the president (Zelensky) wants it to stop, and I’m sure President Putin wants it to stop. And that’s a good combination,” Trump added. When asked how he sees the war ending, Trump evaded the question, saying it was “too early” to discuss and that both he and Zelensky had their “own ideas” on the matter.
Zelensky and Trump did not disclose whether another meeting between them would take place soon. However, the Ukrainian president invited the Republican nominee to visit Ukraine, and Trump accepted the invitation.
Recently, Trump’s rhetoric toward Zelensky and U.S. support for Ukraine has become more critical. He has claimed that Zelensky wants Democrats to win the upcoming presidential election, referring to him as “the greatest salesman on earth.”
Republican leaders on Sept. 25 also accused Zelensky of interfering in the election by visiting an ammunition factory in U.S. President Joe Biden’s hometown of Scranton, Pennyslvania, a hotly contested battleground state.
House Speaker Mike Johnson demanded that Zelensky fire Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Makarovka, for her role in arranging the tour.
The Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee also announced he was opening an investigation into the Biden-Harris administration’s alleged misuse of government funds.
Zelensky criticized Trump’s plans for an end to the war in an interview with the New Yorker earlier this week. He called Trump’s running mate, Republican Senator J.D. Vance, “too radical” and said the war should not end at Ukraine’s expense.
Striking a different tone in his evening address on Sept. 27, Zelensky said he was “grateful” for the meeting with Trump, and the opportunity to tout his “victory plan” to both presidential candidates.
“Strong positions for Ukraine will lead to peace sooner. All the key issues for Ukraine are on our partners’ table, and everything is being considered. Long-range capabilities, the defense package, sanctions against Russia, steps on Russian assets,” Zelensky said.
“It is important for Ukraine that America has a direct understanding of Ukraine. And it absolutely does.”