Trump Commends Zelensky at Trump Tower Despite Recent Accusations of ‘Nasty Little Aspersions’

Former President Donald Trump admired Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a press conference at Trump Tower on Friday, highlighting their “perfect relationship.”

This statement comes just days after Trump accused Zelensky of making “nasty little aspersions” about him at a campaign rally.

Trump had accused Zelensky of refusing to make a deal with Russia just days before. AP

“We have an excellent relationship, and I also have an excellent relationship, as you know, with [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin. And I think if we win, I think we’re going to get it resolved very quickly,” Trump remarked, referring to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which has lasted for 31 months. Zelensky interjected, expressing hope for improved relations between the two leaders.

During the conference, Trump thanked Zelensky for his support during Trump’s first impeachment trial, recalling that the Ukrainian president denied any wrongdoing on Trump’s part regarding a phone call that led to the impeachment inquiry. “He said President Trump did nothing wrong,” Trump noted, asserting that Zelensky’s testimony contributed to the impeachment effort failing.

Trump has claimed he would end the war in “24 hours” and would make a peace deal even before he gets inaugurated. REUTERS

Trump and Zelensky met in Washington on the same day that the Ukrainian leader met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Tensions arose when Zelensky travelled to Pennsylvania over the weekend with Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, prompting the House Oversight Committee to investigate whether this constituted unlawful election interference.

The meeting will be the first time the leaders have seen each other in years. AP

At a recent campaign stop in North Carolina, Trump had criticised Zelensky for his comments, saying he was making “nasty little aspersions” toward him. He also blamed Biden and Harris for continuing to fund Ukraine’s war efforts against Russia and accused Zelensky of being unwilling to negotiate with Putin. “And we continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal — Zelensky,” Trump stated.

On Friday, Trump reiterated his desire to end the conflict. “We’re going to work very much with both parties to try and get this settled,” he claimed, asserting he could negotiate a peace deal even before his potential inauguration on January 20.

In response to the meeting, Zelensky expressed openness to U.S.-led negotiations but stressed the need to pressure Putin to withdraw from Ukraine. “We need to do everything to pressure him to stop this war, and he is on our territory,” Zelensky stated, emphasising that the U.S. is a crucial leader in this support and potential negotiation efforts.

Zelensky also invited Trump to visit Ukraine, to which Trump responded affirmatively, saying, “I will.” The former president expressed that he had “learned a lot” from his discussions with Zelensky and reiterated his belief that the war should never have occurred. We want to have a fair deal for everyone,” Trump concluded while noting it was premature to discuss what such a deal might entail.