Former President Donald Trump announced he had a “very good phone call” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. This marks their first conversation since Trump left the White House and comes just after Trump accepted the Republican Party’s nomination for president. The call is particularly significant given ongoing concerns in Europe about Trump’s potential policy towards the Russia-Ukraine war if he were to win the presidential election in November.
“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and I had a very good phone call earlier today. He congratulated me on a very successful Republican National Convention and becoming the Republican nominee for President of the United States,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He condemned the heinous assassination attempt last Saturday and remarked about the American people coming together in the spirit of Unity during these times.”
Trump added, “I appreciate President Zelenskyy for reaching out because I, as your next President of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives and devastated countless innocent families. Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity.”
In a post on X, Zelensky said he congratulated Trump on his nomination and condemned the “shocking assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.” He expressed his wishes for Trump’s strength and safety in the future, emphasizing the vital bipartisan support for Ukraine’s freedom and independence. Zelensky concluded, “We agreed with President Trump to discuss at a personal meeting what steps can make peace fair and truly lasting.”
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Trump has claimed he could resolve the conflict in a day, though specifics of his approach remain unclear. In a recent CNN presidential debate, Trump stated that Putin’s terms for an agreement, which include Ukraine ceding four territories currently occupied by Russia, are “not acceptable.” However, Trump and his allies have also criticized sending US military aid to Kyiv.
Trump has long criticized NATO defense spending, and earlier this year, he suggested that Russia could “do whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country not meeting defense spending guidelines, alarming many leaders in Washington and Europe.
The history between Trump and Zelensky is notable. Nearly five years ago, Trump pressured Zelensky to investigate his political rival Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, ahead of the 2020 election. This call led to Trump’s first impeachment.
European diplomats are reportedly preparing for the possibility of Trump’s return to the White House, setting up guardrails for NATO and working to ensure continued support for Ukraine. Zelensky, during a recent US visit, remarked that “everyone is waiting for November,” including Putin, noting that while Biden and Trump are very different, both support democracy, which he claimed, “I think Putin will hate both of them.”
CNN