Former President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a campaign event in North Carolina, suggesting that Ukraine should have made concessions to Russia to avoid the ongoing conflict. Trump expressed his belief that a deal, even a bad one, would have been better than the current situation, which he described as catastrophic for Ukraine. He asserted that the war, which escalated following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, was unnecessary and claimed that Ukraine has essentially been lost.

Trump reiterated his stance that he would negotiate an end to the conflict if elected again, asserting that he would not support sending U.S. troops to Ukraine or provide ongoing financial aid, framing the involvement as undesirable to American families. He indicated that the Democrats were pushing for American troops to engage in the conflict, which he opposed.

The backdrop to this criticism includes Zelenskyy’s current attendance at the U.N. General Assembly, where he is working to gather international support for Ukraine. Trump is set to meet with Zelenskyy in New York, despite some backlash within the Republican Party regarding Zelenskyy’s recent visits to key areas in the U.S. to garner support for Ukraine. Notably, Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have been critical of Zelenskyy’s approach, viewing it as politically motivated.

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