Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with former U.S. President Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York City, downplaying any past disagreements according to Fox News.
In a subsequent interview, Zelenskyy discussed the challenges Ukraine faces in its conflict with Russia, expressing confidence in Ukraine's understanding of how to stop the war.
The meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump took place on a Friday. Following their discussion, Zelenskyy gave an interview to Fox News' Griff Jenkins. During the interview, he addressed comments he previously made in a New Yorker article, where he questioned Trump's ability to end the conflict.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine needs to be strong in future negotiations. He mentioned his meetings with various U.S. leaders, including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump, and members of the U.S. Congress.
"We understand that even in any kind of future negotiations, Ukraine has to be strong. That's what it's about," Zelenskyy said.
Jenkins inquired about Zelenskyy’s earlier comments on Trump's capabilities. Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine has a better grasp of the situation in the ongoing conflict than anyone, including Trump.
"No, I said that I think that we understand much more better than everybody, really, including Donald Trump, what's going on in Ukraine and how to stop him. It's difficult to understand," Zelenskyy clarified. He pointed out that Ukraine, prior to and after the full-scale invasion by Russia in 2022, are fundamentally different countries.
"Ukraine, during the war in Ukraine before the full-scale invasion — two different countries. So without this experience, you can't really understand how to stop [Russian President Vladimir Putin]," he added.
During the meeting with Trump, the former president told the press he had a "good relationship" with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy interjected, expressing hope that the U.S. would prioritize its relationship with Ukraine over Russia.
"I hope the U.S. has a better relationship with Ukraine than Russia," Zelenskyy remarked. He also acknowledged Trump's past relationships with various world leaders.
"[Trump] has relations and had relations when he was the president, during his term... relations with a lot of countries and a lot of UN leaders," Zelenskyy noted.
Zelenskyy expressed frustration over the world's lack of response to Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014. He believed that the absence of international pushback emboldened Putin to continue his aggressive actions.
"Nobody kicked him, and that meant he understood that he can occupy it and go further. He can occupy new territories of Ukraine," Zelenskyy said, reflecting on the inadequacy of the global reaction during that time.
During an interview with Griff Jenkins from Fox News, Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine's unique understanding of the conflict, demonstrable strength in negotiations, and expressed hope for stronger U.S.-Ukraine relations compared to those with Russia.
Reflecting on past international responses, Zelenskyy highlighted the critical need for robust action against aggressors to prevent further territorial incursions.
