Ukraine war: Ukraine and the US election: Zelenskyj appeals to Trump for help

At a meeting with Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for support for his country. It is unclear who will lead America after the presidential election in November, Zelensky said at a meeting with Trump in New York. However, Ukraine is counting on further support from the Americans in fending off the Russian war of aggression. Trump praised his good relationship with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin and claimed once again that if he wins the election, he could end the war before his swearing in in January.

The Republican is critical of further US aid for Ukraine and recently publicly criticized Zelensky for not wanting to enter into a deal with Russia. “It has to stop,” Trump said at the meeting with Zelensky, referring to the war in Ukraine. The country is going through hell, the situation is terrible. If he wins the US election, the war will end quickly, Trump once again claimed. The ex-president has long been saying that he could resolve the conflict within 24 hours – thanks in part to his contacts with Putin.

Trump makes derogatory remarks about Zelensky

The outcome of the US election could have huge implications for the course of the war. There are fears in Ukraine that the US could largely be eliminated as the country’s most important supporter in the defense against Russia if Trump prevails against Democrat Kamala Harris in the election on November 5th. Trump has signaled that if he wins the election, he will dramatically reduce support for Kiev or even stop it altogether.

At a campaign event in the state of North Carolina a few days ago, Trump made disparaging comments about Zelensky: “We continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal,” he complained and criticized the Ukrainian for not making an agreement with Moscow to end the war. “Any deal, even the worst deal, would have been better than what we have now,” Trump said. He also claimed that rebuilding Ukraine was hopeless.

At the meeting in New York, Trump praised Zelenskyj and described the relationship with him as “great.” Zelenskyj traveled to New York for the UN General Assembly and from there also made a detour to Washington.

Support for Biden and Harris

The Ukrainian met US President Joe Biden there, who is leaving office in January – as well as his deputy Harris, who is running against Trump. A few months before he left the White House, Biden gave Zelenskyj additional billions in aid for his country. Harris promised Zelenskyj that she would continue to support her if she became president – and indirectly warned of an election victory for her opponent Trump.

Biden releases billions in aid for Kyiv

Biden’s government has massively supported Ukraine in the fight against Russia’s war of aggression over the past two and a half years and has provided $58.7 billion (52.5 billion euros) in military aid since the war began in February 2022. Of this, $2.4 billion are funds that Biden released during Zelensky’s visit to Washington. The US President emphasized that he had also ensured that billions in aid already promised would not expire and would be accessed by the end of his term in office in January. According to the White House, this amounts to $5.5 billion.

The new aid package from Washington includes, among other things, another Patriot air defense system, long-range glide bombs and drones.

Ukraine meeting on October 12th in Germany

Biden also wants to organize further international support for Ukraine. He is traveling to Germany in mid-October and wants to hold a meeting of the so-called Ukraine Contact Group, which is led by the USA, on October 12th at the level of heads of state and government. Zelenskyj should also be there.

The Ukraine contact group includes around 50 countries, and Germany is also involved. The USA and Germany are Ukraine’s largest arms suppliers.