Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he could not predict what Donald Trump would do if he regains the U.S. presidency in November, but the whole world, including Russian leader Vladimir Putin, was awaiting the outcome of the ballot.
Zelenskiy, speaking in Washington as world leaders gather for this week's NATO summit, said he hoped Trump would not quit the 75-year-old NATO alliance and that America would keep supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia's more than two-year-old invasion.
"I don't know (him) very well," Zelenskiy said of Trump, adding he had "good meetings" with him during Trump's first presidency but said that was before Russia's 2022 invasion.
"I can't tell you what he will do, if he will be the president of the United States. I don't know."
Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for the U.S. presidential election in November, has frequently criticized the size of U.S. military support for Ukraine - some $60 billion since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 - and called Zelenskiy "the greatest salesman ever."
Two of his national security advisers have presented Trump with a plan to end U.S. military aid to Ukraine unless it opened talks with Russia to end the conflict.
Trump's dealings with Zelenskiy became the subject of his first impeachment as president by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019. He was accused of pressing Zelenskiy to help smear Joe Biden in return for aid, but was acquitted by the Senate in 2020.
On policy toward NATO, Trump has said he would "encourage" Russia to do "whatever the hell they want" to any alliance member that did not spend enough on defense and he would not defend them. The NATO charter obliges members to come to the defense of those who are attacked.
Zelenskiy urged U.S. political leaders on Tuesday not to wait for the outcome of America's November presidential election to move forcefully to aid his country, as he called for fewer restrictions on the use of U.S. weaponry.
"Everyone is waiting for November. Americans are waiting for November, in Europe, Middle East, in the Pacific, the whole world is looking towards November and, truly speaking, Putin awaits November too," Zelenskiy said.
"It is time to step out of the shadows, to make strong decisions ... to act and not to wait for November or any other month."
Earlier on Tuesday, President Joe Biden pledged to forcefully defend Ukraine at the NATO summit.
But Biden, 81, is reeling from 12 days of withering questions about his fitness for office as some of his fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill and campaign donors fear that he will lose the election after a halting debate performance on June 27.
Trump is leading Biden by 2.1 percentage points nationally, according to a polling average maintained by website FiveThirtyEight.
Asked about Putin's views of Biden and Trump, Zelenskiy said cautiously: "Biden and Trump are very different. But they are supportive (of) democracy. And that's why I think Putin will hate both of them."
Zelenskiy's choice of venue, the Ronald Reagan Institute, could be another sign of Ukraine's effort to reach out to Republicans.
Andrew Weiss at the Carnegie Endowment think-tank said Kyiv has been trying to build "as many bridges to the Republican mainstream establishment as possible."
"There's a process underway in Kyiv of trying to think through the implications of a possible Trump return to the White House," Weiss said.
Zelenskiy was introduced by top U.S. Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, who lauded the Ukrainian leader and strongly supported greater assistance to Kyiv.
"They need the tools to defend themselves to impose costs on their aggressors and to negotiate from positions of strength," McConnell said.
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024.
18 Comments
GuruMick
Past behavior is a predictor of future behaviour....usually...Trumpy may throw another "countries aren't pulling their weight " tantrum.....and reduce NATO spending.
May support more genocide in Gaza.
Probably "pardon " himself.
Make Trump Great Again is the most likely thing to expect.
WoodyLee
""Zelenskiy, speaking in Washington as world leaders gather for this week's NATO summit, said he hoped Trump would not quit the 75-year-old NATO alliance and that America would keep supporting Ukraine in its defense against Russia's more than two-year-old invasion.""
The world has yet to meet a democratically elected leader who wishes harm to Democracy. Mr. Zelenskiy better start thinking about the HUMAN cost rather than saving face.
finally rich
Rule is all of US friends and foes just want to have a predictable person in charge.
Meanwhile just yesterday a reporter asked the White House who gets called after 8 p.m. if a nuke is launched at the US. (after Biden said he wants to be done with events at 8 p.m. so he can get more sleep)
Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that "Biden is still the president of the United States and makes decisions".
Imagining having to explain these kind of things.
stormcrow
If Trump is elected this November, it wouldn't be surprising to see him and Putin run off together for a honeymoon.
finally rich
Falling for the same scam twice.
What else? He will start WW3? Build concentration camps? Become a dictator? So 2016.
No one with any intelligence is buying this spin that Biden is mentally competent and sharp enough to handle the extreme pressures and responsibilities of the Presidency and will not go any further downhill mentally over the next four years. This is completely insane and China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are loving this because they see this weakness as an opportunity to keep being aggressive and to keep creating trouble for the U.S. and its allies.
isabelle
There have been plenty. Orban, and Erdogan are in power right now, for example. (Though their recent elections have been a total sham, originally they were somewhat fairer.)
Trump would likely be even worse than them.
He is. He's trying to stop Russian invaders killing his people. As is NATO, and the free world.
Daniel Neagari
Well.. he said we was going to be a dictator "only the first day" of his 2nd term.... so rather 2016 is more 2024.
Biden age is a concern... but so is Donny, he is just 3 years younger than Biden and way less healthy (Donny has a big ba-Don-kadong).
Donny may be a little more aware of his surroundings but senility advances fast given some cases (look at biden 3 years ago).
finally rich
“We have put together I think the most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics.” - Biden 4 years ago
lincolnman
Given how demented he is, no one can predict what Trump will do - including himself...
The only thing we do know is he'll do whatever his Master Vlad tells him to do...
ian
Is there anyone who can predict Trump's actions?
Daniel Neagari
"covevfe"... 7 years ago
WoodyLee
News outlets are reporting that the Russian army has just liberated the Donetsk Region and nearly 1200 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in just one day.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Why not Putin start thinking about the HUMAN cost since he is the offender. He can turn himself into the Hague to expedite things.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Considering Kramatorsk is still free, no, the terrorists have not occupied all of Donetsk Oblast.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Better the guy that will do whatever his advisers tell him to do than the guy that will do whatever China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea tell him to do.
JJE
Relevant to observe Zelensky has spent some time insulting Trump over the last few months. Referring to him as a "loser president" is the straw that will break the camel's back here. Particularly considering when there is already some blood in the water between them.
Will be interesting - he is obviously worried about being pushed under the bus.
The larger question: will the bus be stopped.
TaiwanIsNotChina
The correct quote is, "Does he want to become a loser president?". After a pause Putin would “go further”, humiliating Trump and making him look “very weak” in the eyes of the world, he said.
All of which is objectively true.
Cards fan
Wait a minute, you mean to tell me yet another post from a pro-Russian lickspittle is full of untruth? I'm shocked.