The day after accepting the Republican nomination for president, Donald Trump is expected to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. This call comes five years after a controversial call between the two led to Trump’s first impeachment. Questions are raised about whether Trump will continue to support military aid for Ukraine in its battle against Russian invaders. Trump has pledged to settle the war if he becomes president again, but his plans on how to do so remain unclear. Trump has criticized the amount of military aid going to Ukraine in the past, but also called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s terms unacceptable. Zelenskyy has expressed willingness to work with whoever is elected president in November, including Trump. The selection of JD Vance as Trump’s running mate has raised concerns in Kyiv, given Vance’s criticism of U.S. aid to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov welcomed Vance’s stance on Ukraine, as it aligns with Russia’s desire to stop the flow of weapons into the country. Zelenskyy condemned an assassination attempt on Trump and expressed readiness to work with him if he wins the election. Trump’s impeachment in 2019 was based on allegations that he had pressured Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden, Biden’s son, and withheld aid. Trump denied any wrongdoing and was acquitted. Biden, a strong supporter of Ukraine, has provided significant aid to the country and recently met with Zelenskyy at a NATO summit in Washington, D.C. Trump criticized Biden’s mistake of introducing Zelenskyy as President Putin, calling it unforgivable.
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