Trump Tells Zelensky He'll "Bring Peace" In "Very Good Call"
Former President Trump has again declared he will "bring peace" following a rare phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, which comes as world leaders prepare for a likely second Trump administration.
Trump in a readout hailed it as a "very good phone call" wherein Zelensky congratulated him on a "very successful" Republican National Convention and becoming the Republican nominee for US President.
Zelensky during the call condemned the "heinous" assassination attempt which targeted Trump, slightly wounding his ear, and praised American unity in the aftermath.
Trump apparently pushed a theme of the urgency of negotiations to end the war with Russia in the call:
"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," Trump wrote.
"Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity."
Zelensky similarly shared on X that he wished the former president and Republican nominee "strength and absolute safety in the future."
"I noted the vital bipartisan and bicameral American support for protecting our nation’s freedom and independence," Zelensky said. "Ukraine will always be grateful to the United States for its help in strengthening our ability to resist Russian terror."
He also said he agreed with Trump to at some point discuss "at a personal meeting what steps can make peace fair and truly lasting." In general, the Ukrainian side liked what it heard, and responded positively, per Politico:
A person close to Zelenskyy who requested anonymity to discuss the private conversation said it went “exceedingly well” and that Trump pledged to “achieve a just peace in Ukraine” if he wins back the White House.
Zelensky and his top officials within the last year have excoriated peace proposals and statements coming from Trump and his team, earlier strongly suggesting Trump is naive. The Ukrainian leader has more than once even invited Trump to come to his war-ravaged country in order to "see for himself" the nature of Russia's war there.
NATO at the same time has sought to "Trump-proof" the alliance's long-term funding commitments to Ukraine, on fears that Washington support could soon drastically pull back. Trump has in the past blamed Biden's weak standing on the world stage for allowing the Russian invasion to happen in the first place.