Former US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are set to have a phone conversation on Friday, CNN reports, citing two sources familiar with the plans.
This would mark their first direct communication since Trump left office in 2021.
The call comes amid European concerns about Trump’s potential policy towards the Ukraine war if he were to win the November presidential election. According to CNN, one source cautioned that “schedules shift frequently.”
Trump has made bold claims about resolving the war, saying he could “settle the Ukraine war in a day.” However, his exact approach remains unclear. During last month’s CNN debate with President Joe Biden, Trump declared that Putin’s terms for an agreement, which include Ukraine ceding four occupied territories, are “not acceptable.”
The former president and his allies have criticized US military aid to Kyiv. This stance contrasts with Zelenskyy’s recent comments during his US visit, where he said, “everyone is waiting for November,” including Putin. The Ukrainian leader also noted that while Biden and Trump are “very different,” both support democracy, leading him to claim: “I think Putin will hate both of them.”
CNN reports that Trump recently met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who subsequently told European leaders that Trump is “ready to act as a peace broker” between Russia and Ukraine.
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