The meeting held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday focused on pushing Russia to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for additional US sanctions on Moscow and increased support for Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
Former President Donald Trump lauded President Zelenskyy as a “brave man” and commended Ukraine’s resilience during their discussion. “He’s a brave man, and he’s putting up one hell of a fight. We have about 30 meetings scheduled today, but this is an important one, and we have great respect for the fight that Ukraine is putting up,” said Trump.
This meeting follows a previous encounter on August 18 at the White House, which was notably more cordial compared to their February 2025 Oval Office meeting. During that earlier occasion, President Trump and Vice President JD Vance had criticized President Zelenskyy, resulting in a tense atmosphere.
Earlier in the day, President Trump addressed the UN General Assembly, where he criticized the United Nations for its ineffectiveness, accusing it of issuing “empty words” while global crises persist. “We shouldn’t have any wars if the UN is really doing its job. We [solved] all these wars, and we weren’t helped by the UN. We weren’t hurt by them, but we weren’t helped. They didn’t do anything!” Trump asserted during his meeting with Zelenskyy.
Trump also issued a stark warning to European nations, blaming their immigration policies and reliance on renewable energy for what he described as the looming collapse of Western Europe.
As the 80th session of the UN General Assembly continues, President Zelenskyy is scheduled to address the assembly and participate in the inaugural summit of the Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. This initiative highlights the plight of around 35,000 Ukrainian children believed to be in Russia or occupied territories.
Notably, today’s meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy underscores the ongoing diplomatic efforts to address the conflict in Ukraine.
https://www.news18.com/world/putting-up-one-hell-of-a-fight-trump-praises-brave-zelenskyy-during-un-meet-9592499.html
