(NewsNation) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is having meetings with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday as he asks for continued U.S. support in the war against Russia.
One person Zelenskyy won’t be meeting with is former President Donald Trump, who has suggested that if he wins in November, he would make a deal favorable to Russia to end the conflict.
Zelenskyy is also meeting with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. His meetings come as there has been a growing partisan divide around continued support for the country as it fends off a Russian invasion that began in February 2022.
Biden and Harris have characterized support for Ukraine as critical for democracy and said that if allowed to continue, Russia would not stop with Ukraine. Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, on the other hand, have criticized the amount of money spent and indicated they believe Ukraine should make concessions to Moscow in order to stop the fighting.
Zelenskyy’s tumultuous relationship Trump, the Republican nominee, continued to deteriorate this week. Instead of meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump has criticized him.
As for U.S. support for Ukraine, Trump complained that “we continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal” to end the war. His message dovetails with Russian propaganda that claims intransigence by Kyiv — not aggression from Moscow — has prolonged the bloodshed.
Trump has also accused Zelenskyy of having a favorite in the election and also called the leader the “greatest salesman” for obtaining aid needed to defend the Ukraine.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.