Former US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone call on Friday, marking their first conversation since Trump left the White House in 2021. The call occurred a day after Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention (RNC). Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the conversation on their respective social media platforms.
Trump, on TruthSocial, stated that Zelenskyy congratulated him on his successful RNC and becoming the Republican nominee. He also mentioned that Zelenskyy condemned the recent assassination attempt against him and remarked on the American people’s unity during these times. Trump went on to say, “I appreciate President Zelenskyy for reaching out because I, as your next President of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives and devastated countless innocent families. Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity.”
Zelenskyy, posting on X (formerly Twitter), expressed Ukraine’s gratitude for the United States’ support in resisting Russian aggression. He stated that “Russian attacks on our cities and villages continue every day.” He further added that he and Trump agreed to discuss at a personal meeting “what steps can make peace fair and truly lasting.” These comments come after Zelenskyy had previously mentioned the potential difficulties of working with Trump if he returns to power.
The call between the two leaders comes just a few days shy of the five-year anniversary of their last conversation, which led to Trump’s first impeachment after he asked Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden based on discredited allegations. Notably, this call was initiated by Zelenskyy following a Trump assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally. It is worth noting that Zelenskyy himself was the target of an assassination attempt by Russia in the early days of their invasion in 2022.
While the Russia-Ukraine war was not a major topic of discussion at the RNC, Trump did pledge to end the war in his nomination acceptance speech. He stated, “I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created, including the horrible war with Russia and Ukraine, which would have never happened if I was president.”
The prospects of Trump’s re-election have raised concerns among European countries supporting Ukraine. They are worried that a Trump administration might halt US military and economic support for Kyiv. These anxieties have increased in recent weeks after Trump met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the NATO summit in Washington. Both Orban and Trump’s chosen running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, have advocated for reducing military aid to Ukraine. Vance had previously stated, “He doesn’t care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.”
The phone call between Trump and Zelenskyy highlights the complex political landscape surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war and the upcoming US presidential elections. It remains to be seen how Trump’s potential return to power would impact US support for Ukraine and the ongoing conflict.
