Trump pledges swift resolution to Ukraine conflict following meeting with Zelenskyy

Donald Trump met with ​Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, expressing confidence that the ⁤war in Ukraine would ⁢be⁢ resolved quickly​ if he were re-elected as US president. Trump emphasized his positive relationships with both Zelenskyy and Russian‌ President Vladimir Putin. The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy had been uncertain due to ⁢criticism from the former president ‍towards ‍Ukraine’s leader ⁤for not making a deal with‌ Putin, ⁤as‌ well ⁤as​ accusations from members of the Republican party that Zelenskyy was siding ⁢with ⁣Kamala ⁢Harris in the race for the​ White‍ House. While this⁣ meeting indicated a search for common ground between Washington and Kyiv under a potential second Trump presidency, ⁣Ukrainian and Western officials have​ rejected peace talks with Russia, fearing it would​ solidify Russia’s control⁢ over Ukrainian territory. During their ‍joint press conference before⁣ the meeting, Trump stated his belief⁣ in resolving issues quickly if he were to win re-election. ⁣However, Zelenskyy interjected by expressing hope for better relations between himself and Trump compared⁢ to Putin. In ⁢an interview after the⁤ meeting, Trump reiterated his commitment to ⁤brokering a fair deal ⁤to end‍ the war but acknowledged its‍ complexity. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine ⁤did not want ‍the war in the first place⁣ and invited Trump‌ to‍ visit his country. Prior to this meeting, Zelenskyy‍ had met with US President ⁤Joe Biden and Kamala‌ Harris at the White House where Harris criticized⁤ proposals that would force ‌Ukraine ⁤into surrendering parts of its‌ territory or accepting neutrality⁣ without security relationships with other nations. During his visit to Washington, Zelenskyy sought ⁣additional‌ military aid from ​the US⁢ along with‌ permission to target Russian territories using Western weapons in order ‌to strengthen ⁢Ukraine’s position ahead ‍of negotiations with⁤ Russia. Although⁤ $2.4 billion in military aid was secured during this visit, restrictions on⁢ hitting Russian ‍territory have not been lifted by ⁣the White House yet.