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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Sept. 26 that he would meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky at Trump Tower in New York City on Sept. 27.
The previous day, the AP reported, citing sources from Trump's campaign, that there was no meeting planned between the two.
Zelensky has been in the U.S. since Sept. 22, where he has held a series of high-level meetings with foreign leaders, as well as a visit to the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Pennsylvania and an address to the U.N. General Assembly.
Trump's rhetoric against Zelensky and U.S. support for Ukraine has grown harsher in recent days. He has claimed that Zelensky wants Democrats to win the upcoming presidential election and referred to him as "the greatest salesman on earth."
Earlier on Sept. 26, Trump shared a screenshot of a message purportedly from Zelensky on Truth Social.
The message, which cannot be independently verified, reportedly carried a personal request from Zelensky to meet with Trump.
"Days ago, we requested a meeting with you, and I really want to hear your thoughts directly, and firsthand. You know I always speak with great respect about everything connected to you, and that's how it should be," the message read.
"I believe it's important for us to have a personal contact and to understand each other 100%."
Trump announced the meeting shortly after he shared the post.
During his comments to the press, Trump declined to answer if he thought that Ukraine should cede territory in exchange for peace.
Senator J.D. Vance, his running mate, said earlier in September that Trump's plan to end Russia's war could include the establishment of a special demilitarized zone between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine would retain its sovereignty, but at the same time, it would have to give guarantees to Russia that it would not join NATO or any other allied institutions, Vance added.
Trump has regularly repeated that if elected, he would end the full-scale war within 24 hours. However, when asked by reporters during his announcement of the meeting with Zelensky how he envisioned the end of the war, he said, "I don't want to tell you what that looks like."
Abbey Fenbert
