Trump and Zelensky just had a phone call to discuss Ukraine

Former President Donald Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone on July 19th and the conversation was a productive chat according to both of the men. What did they discuss? Let’s look at what they said. 

“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and I had a very good phone call earlier today,” Trump wrote in a post-call message on Truth Social according to Politico. He added that Zelensky congratulated him on his “very successful Republican National Convention.”

The former president also claimed that Zelensky condemned the “heinous assassination attempt” on Trump’s life and also commented on “the American people coming together in the spirit of Unity during these times,” something Trump wrote he appreciated. 

“I appreciate President Zelenskyy for reaching out because I, as your next President of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives and devastated countless innocent families,” The former president wrote. 

Trump went on to add that as president he would bring both sides of the ongoing conflict together to “negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity.” 

Zelensky confirmed much of what Trump said occurred during their call, writing in a post on the social media platform X that he did indeed congratulate the former president on his nomination and condemned his attempted assassination. 

“I wished him strength and absolute safety in the future,” Zelensky explained. “I noted the vital bipartisan and bicameral American support for protecting our nation’s freedom and independence,” the Ukrainian President continued. 

Zelensky also noted that he agreed to discuss with Trump at “a personal meeting what steps can make peace fair and truly lasting.” However, what peace would look like with Trump at the helm of the White House is unknown. 

The former president has promised on several occasions that he would bring the war in Ukraine to an end within 24 hours of being reelected again in 2024 according to several reports. But how Trump plans to accomplish this goal has never been made public. 

The world also didn’t get a glimpse of what Trump may have up his sleeves for Ukraine in January if he wins in November during his recent debate with Joe Biden in June. Trump did say Putin's terms for an agreement, including the ceding of the four territories Russia annexed, was “not acceptable" according to CNN.

The former president’s statement during his debate with Biden contracted earlier reports from news organizations like The Washington Post that revealed Trump’s plan to put an end to the war in Ukraine included ceding Crimea and the Donbas region to Russia. 

Zelensky has been adamant Ukraine would not negotiate any peace on the basis that it would lose any of its territories, a point that he reiterated during a July 20th interview with BBC News in which he questioned the price Ukraine would need to pay for peace.

"If one person in the world, and this person is Donald Trump, can stop the war in 24 hours, the question is at what price, and who will pay?" the Ukrainian President said, according to The Kyiv Independent.

Zelensky went on to say that if the price were territorial concessions, then "no one in the world" would be able to force Ukraine to accept it. He went on to add that the war wasn’t about one person but the nation as a whole and that Russia couldn't be forgiven for what it has done to Ukraine. 

Despite their long and complicated history—Trump did repeatedly push Zelensky to investigate Biden and his son Hunter over their business involvements in Ukraine ahead of 2022 according to CNN—Zelensky has said he could work with Trump if he wins in November. 

“If Mr. Donald Trump becomes president, then we will work with him. I am not afraid of it,” Zelensky said during a press conference held in Ukraine on July 15th according to a translation of his remarks by Politico.