In an election rally speech earlier this week, the Republican presidential candidate said that Zelenskyy wanted Harris to win the election and called the Eastern European nation “dead” and “demolished.”
He also expressed doubts that Ukraine can win its war against Russia, and people close to Trump and his campaign said a meeting appeared extremely unlikely.
But Trump has now said that Zelenskyy sent him a personal message pleading for a meeting.
The former U.S. president took to the social media platform Truth Social, which he owns, to publish what he alleges to be Zelenskyy’s personal message, which begins: “Dear Donald, I hope you’re doing well.”
During a press conference on Thursday, Trump confirmed he would now meet Zelenskyy on Friday at 9:45 a.m. (1345 GMT) at Trump Tower in Manhattan.
Although Trump and Zelenskyy talked over the phone in July, this will be their first in-person meeting since Trump left office and the war in Ukraine broke out.
Zelenskyy, who is in the United States for the UN General Assembly, met on Thursday with Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate in the November 5 election.
While Zelenskyy was in Washington, Biden announced a new military aid package of more than $8 billion, while Harris reaffirmed her support for Kyiv and, in a veiled swipe at Trump, accused him of failing to stand up for the Eastern European ally.
Before departing Kyiv, Zelenskyy had expressed his intention to present his “victory plan” to defeat Russia to Biden, Harris, and Trump.
