United States Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump posted on the Truth Social platform claiming that he had a “very good call” on Friday (July 19) with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and pledged to end the war between Kiev and Moscow through negotiations.
In his post on “Truth Social,” Trump stated that if elected as the next President of the United States, he would “bring peace to the world and end this war that has taken many lives and destroyed countless innocent families.”
Trump said, “Both sides (Ukraine and Russia) will be able to come together, reach an agreement through negotiations, end the violence, and pave the way for prosperity.”
On the same day, Zelenskiy also reported his conversation with Trump on the social platform X. In his post, Zelenskiy congratulated Trump on becoming the Republican nominee and condemned the assassination attempt against him last week. He wished Trump to “remain strong and absolutely safe in the future.”
Zelenskiy expressed gratitude for the support and military aid from both parties in the U.S. Congress, stating that Ukraine “will forever be thankful for the assistance from the United States in strengthening our defense against Russian terrorist attacks. Attacks by Russia on our cities and villages continue every day.”
He concluded by agreeing to discuss with Trump in a personal meeting what measures can be taken to achieve fair and truly lasting peace.
Trump officially received the Republican nomination as the vice presidential candidate on Thursday (July 15). Trump had previously stated that if he wins the election on November 5th, he will end the war in Ukraine before taking office in January.
Although Trump did not propose specific policy recommendations, he mentioned in an interview with Reuters last year that Ukraine may have to cede some territory to reach a peace agreement.
In an interview with the German newspaper “Bild” in April this year, Zelenskiy referred to Trump’s proposals for resolving the Ukraine-Russia conflict, stating, “If it’s simply about us giving up our territory, if that’s the (peace plan) idea, then it is very primitive.” He expressed willingness to listen to Trump’s proposals but emphasized the need for strong arguments and a realistic idea.
Zelenskiy has repeatedly stated that he will not negotiate with Russia to end the conflict as long as Russian troops remain in Ukraine. He put forward a peace plan calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of Ukraine’s borders after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Last month, the Ukraine peace summit was held for two consecutive days in Switzerland. Russian President Putin proposed ceasefire conditions on the eve of the summit, expressing readiness to end the war, but on the condition that Ukraine abandon joining NATO and withdraw troops from four areas claimed to be annexed by Moscow. Ukraine immediately rejected these terms, considering them equivalent to surrender.
Last Wednesday (10th), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) held a summit and issued a joint declaration, with all member countries’ leaders unanimously agreeing to let Ukraine join NATO, emphasizing that Ukraine’s future lies with NATO and pledging long-term support to Kiev.
(Some information in this article is referenced from Reuters)