Donald Trump has announced a scheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York on Friday, despite backlash from Republicans over Zelenskyy’s lobbying efforts in the United States this week.
Zelenskyy has been working to ease tensions with U.S. Republicans, including Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who were angered by Zelenskyy’s engagement with Democratic politicians in an effort to gain further support for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia.
During a Thursday press conference in New York, Trump expressed his displeasure with the ongoing conflict, stating his belief that he could negotiate a peace deal between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin “quite quickly.” The former president mentioned that Zelenskyy had requested a meeting, which has been scheduled for Friday morning at Trump Tower.
This development follows a letter from Zelenskyy to Trump, expressing a desire for a meeting to discuss Ukraine’s pursuit of a “just peace.” Zelenskyy highlighted his respect for Trump and indicated his wish to address the ongoing war in a manner he considers equitable.
The letter and the planned meeting represent Zelenskyy’s attempt to regain political footing after criticism from Trump and other Republicans, who accused him of partisan lobbying in the midst of the U.S. election period.
The controversy arose after the U.S. announced an additional $8 billion aid package for Ukraine, which received Republican backing. This Republican backlash has created discord in Ukraine, where Zelenskyy’s allies have criticized the handling of his U.S. trip during a critical phase, particularly as Ukraine faces setbacks in the eastern Donbas region.
A former Ukrainian official remarked that the Republicans appeared to seek a scandal, which might have been preventable with more cautious planning. They emphasized the Republicans’ influence in Washington and their potential to obstruct support.
Earlier, Zelenskyy thanked U.S. President Joe Biden, Congress, and both political parties, as well as the American public, for their support through social media.
Trump criticized Zelenskyy on Wednesday, accusing him of refusing negotiations with Russia and alleging that Zelenskyy made disparaging remarks about him.
House Speaker Johnson called for the resignation of Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, who had arranged Zelenskyy’s visit to a Democratic-only arms factory tour in Pennsylvania, a key swing state in the upcoming presidential election. Johnson labeled the tour a partisan act benefiting Democrats and referred to it as election interference.
Zelenskyy’s U.S. visit also aimed to present his “victory plan,” designed to bolster Ukraine’s military and diplomatic standing, to Biden, Trump, and Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Zelenskyy met with Harris and Biden at the White House on Thursday, where Harris indirectly criticized Trump and his running mate JD Vance by implying that their strategies would force Ukraine to cede land and security.
Trump dismissed the notion that his peace proposal equates to surrender, arguing that his plan prioritizes saving lives and ending the conflict.
The White House’s $8 billion aid package includes $2.4 billion in new assistance and $5.6 billion previously allocated funds, featuring the first pledge of “joint stand-off weapons” for potential long-range strikes. However, it falls short of Zelenskyy’s requests, including the desire for long-range weapons to strike targets within Russia.
Reactions to Zelenskyy’s visit have stirred further tension in Kyiv. Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of Ukraine’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee, criticized the Scranton visit as a strategic error possibly caused by misjudgment within the embassy or Zelenskyy’s office.
David Arakhamia, leader of Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party in parliament, downplayed Trump’s remarks as campaign rhetoric but admitted the timing of the visit was less than ideal. Arakhamia stressed Ukraine’s need to continue advocating for funding despite the political climate.
A source close to Zelenskyy acknowledged that the Scranton visit may have had poor optics in hindsight but defended Markarova’s role as Ukraine’s ambassador, emphasizing her effectiveness despite the Speaker’s criticism.
Zelenskyy’s allies believe it is crucial to keep pushing for support rather than waiting out the U.S. election cycle, highlighting the urgency of their situation.
Additional reporting was contributed by Steff Chavez in Washington.