During an interview on “Meet the Press” this weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed doubts about the confidence with which former President Donald Trump has discussed the war between Ukraine and Russia in which the smaller country led by Zelenskyy has been battling an ongoing invasion.
The U.S. has provided assistance to Ukraine throughout this conflict, with the help largely taking the form of weapons deliveries. (No U.S. troops have directly participated or will do so.) Trump, meanwhile, has spoken with extreme gusto about the supposed ease with which he could bring an end to the war, but Zelenskyy argued there were some details only accessible through a visit to the country.
The Eastern European president, who said he’d not been in communication with Trump after the latter left office, also appeared under the impression that the only path forward for the kind of resolution that Trump and those close to him are imagining for the war involves major concessions to Russia — something that would obviously bring devastation for Ukrainians. The world has seen what occurs when Russian troops take over portions of Ukrainian territory or land elsewhere.
“He’s very welcome, first of all,” Zelenskyy said on NBC, referencing the former U.S. president. “President Biden was here, and I think he understood some details which you can understand only being here. So I invite President Trump, if he can come here, I will need 24 minutes — yes, 24 minutes not more. Twenty-four minutes to explain [to] President Trump that he can’t manage this war. He can’t bring peace because of Putin. If he’s not trying and if he’s not ready to give our territory for this terrible man […] he can’t manage it.”
Zelenskyy also argued that public opinion would be more compelling than an individual president’s opinion in deciding whether U.S. aid for Ukraine would keep going. Far-right Republicans in Congress generally oppose such assistance, though they’ve struggled to get their most conclusive proposals against it approved. Check out a clip below:
WATCH: Fmr. Pres. Trump — the GOP front-runner — has said he could end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours.
Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa responds: “If he can come here, I will need 24 minutes … to explain … that he can’t manage this war. He can’t bring peace because of Putin.” pic.twitter.com/iykBUuH6hw
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) November 5, 2023
