Ukraine's Zelensky hopes to meet Donald Trump next week
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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) said he will most likely have a meeting with Mr Donald Trump (right) on Sept 26-27.
PHOTOS: REUTERS, AFP
KYIV - Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped to meet Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump next week when he travels to the United States to present Ukraine's "victory plan" in the war against Russia.
Mr Zelensky will attend sessions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly and also plans to meet US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris in separate meetings on Sept 26.
The Ukrainian leader said he also hoped to meet Trump.
"We will most likely have a meeting, I think, on September 26-27," Mr Zelensky told media late on Sept 20, without providing further details.
Trump faces Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in the Nov 5 US election.
Mr Zelensky said in August he wanted to present his plan to Mr Biden, Ms Harris, and Trump. While Trump and Mr Zelensky talked over the phone in July, they have not met in person since Trump's 2017-2021 term.
Mr Zelensky described the plan as a blueprint for how to force Russia to end its war diplomatically and said it depended on quick decisions by key allies from October to December 2024.
At a critical juncture in the war, he is seeking to strengthen Ukraine with more weapons, and military, economic, and diplomatic support from the United States, Kyiv's key ally. He is expected to push Washington to lift restrictions on long-range missile strikes inside Russia.
Russian forces continue to advance slowly but steadily in eastern Ukraine despite Kyiv's troops launching a surprise incursion last month into Russia's Kursk region.
Mr Zelensky has repeatedly said there is no alternative for a 'just peace' and ruled out freezing the war, saying it would simply postpone Russian aggression. REUTERS
