Donald Trump has harshly criticised Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing the Ukrainian president of "refusing to make a deal" with Russia.
"We keep giving billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal, Zelensky," the Republican candidate for the US presidential election condemned at a campaign rally, as quoted by AFP.
"Every time he's come to our country, he's left with $60 billion. I think he's the best salesman on the planet," the former president quipped in North Carolina.
A meeting between Donald Trump, who has been highly critical of the sums Washington has allocated to Kiev, and the Ukrainian leader was proposed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
But that meeting is likely to be cancelled, according to the US press, which claims Donald Trump was offended by an interview Volodymyr Zelensky gave to the New Yorker magazine - in which the Ukrainian leader claimed the Republican candidate "doesn't really know how to stop this war".
In early September, the septuagenarian president said he had a "precise plan" to end the war in Ukraine, but that he would not reveal it to preserve the "surprise" effect.
"If I win, as president-elect, I will make sure an agreement is reached, that's guaranteed," the Republican candidate for the White House said.
Donald Trump has also repeatedly said he would resolve the war between Russia and Ukraine "in 24 hours" - without ever explaining how.
In recent months, he has been particularly critical of the billions of dollars spent by the United States to support Kiev in its war against Moscow, calling on Europe to "wise up."
When Donald Trump's team contacted AFP, he refused to confirm whether his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky had indeed been cancelled. | BGNES
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