Trump Vows to ‘End the War’ After Speaking with Zelensky

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced on Friday that he had a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during which he promised to bring an end to Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia.

“I appreciate President Zelensky for reaching out. As your next President of the United States, I will bring peace to the world and end the war that has caused so much suffering and devastated countless innocent families,” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform.

“Both sides will come together to negotiate a deal that stops the violence and creates a path to prosperity.”

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has provided significant military assistance to Kyiv. However, if Trump wins the upcoming November election, the future of this support could be uncertain.

Zelensky confirmed the call, congratulating Trump on becoming the Republican Party’s presidential nominee and wishing him well after a recent attempt on his life.

“President Trump and I agreed to discuss in person the steps necessary to achieve a just and lasting peace,” Zelensky posted on X.

“I emphasized the critical bipartisan and bicameral support from the American government in defending our nation’s freedom and independence,” he added.

– Trump-Orban Meeting –

Trump has consistently claimed he could swiftly end the war, though he has not provided specific details on how he would achieve this.

Last week, Trump hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at his Florida estate. Orban had met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the month.

Trump’s frequent commendations of Putin and his hesitation to criticize the Russian invasion have raised concerns among Ukraine’s allies. They fear he might pressure Ukraine into accepting partial defeat.

Trump has also suggested distancing from NATO, even undermining the alliance’s collective defense guarantee by implying he would encourage Russia to attack any members not meeting their financial obligations.

Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, leads the isolationist faction of congressional Republicans, advocating for an end to U.S. aid to Ukraine.

Vance was a strong opponent of the approval of $61 billion in new military aid for Ukraine, which faced delays from Republican lawmakers earlier this year, a period during which Russia made battlefield gains.

Addressing the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday, Trump vowed to resolve international crises, claiming he could “stop wars with a telephone call.”

“I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created, including the terrible war between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said, without detailing his approach.

Earlier this week, Zelensky expressed willingness to cooperate with Trump if he wins the presidency.

“I’m not worried about this,” he said at a news conference.

Zelensky refrained from commenting on concerns about U.S. President Joe Biden, who faces calls to drop his reelection campaign following a poor debate performance and questions about his health and mental fitness.

He acknowledged, however, that the “turbulence” of the U.S. election cycle was significantly impacting his country.

Trump’s interactions with Zelensky date back to his previous term in the White House. In 2019, Trump was impeached for withholding military aid to Ukraine while pressuring Zelensky to investigate his election rival Biden, a race Trump ultimately lost in 2020.