An unexpected twist: a planned conversation between Trump and Zelensky
19 July 2024 09:22
US presidential candidate Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have scheduled a phone call for today. CNN reports this, citing two sources with knowledge of the plans, reports "Komersant Ukrainian"
This will be their first conversation since Trump left the White House. It will come amid concerns about Trump’s possible policy on the war in Ukraine if he wins the presidential election in November.
One source warned that schedules change frequently. Sources say that discussions have been ongoing for some time about the most appropriate time for the Republican nominee to speak with the Ukrainian president.
Trump has repeatedly stated that he could resolve the war in Ukraine in one day, but it remains unclear how he would seek to achieve peace.
During last month’s debate with President Biden, Trump said that Putin’s conditions, which include Ukraine handing over four territories currently occupied by Russia, are “unacceptable”.
However, the former president and his allies have also criticised US military aid to Kyiv.
Last week, while in the US, Zelenskyy said that “everyone is waiting for November”, including Putin. He also noted that Biden and Trump are “very different” but both support democracy, so he argued: “I think Putin will hate them both.”
Last week, Trump met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for the second time in less than six months. The visit came less than two weeks after Orban met with Putin in Moscow. After the meeting, Orban told European leaders that Trump was “ready to mediate peace talks” between Russia and Ukraine.
Recently, the media reported on Trump’s plan. He is allegedly planning to bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table and force them to make peace, with each side retaining the territory it controls. If Ukraine refuses such a peace, the United States will cut off all assistance to it. If Russia rejects such a peace, the US arms Ukraine to the teeth so that it can defeat Russia on the battlefield as quickly as possible.
According to Politico, Trump’s plan includes two more points:
- NATO commits not to expand further east, including into Ukraine and Georgia;
- Trump will consult with Moscow on the territories “that it can hold on to”.
Read also: What will happen if Trump wins: a blitz poll of Ukrainian politicians.
