Donald Trump has lashed out at Volodymyr Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian president is refusing to sign a deal with Russia to end the war that broke out in 2022.

“We continue to give billions of dollars to someone who refuses to make a deal,” Mr. Trump said. “Every time he comes to our country, he leaves with 60 billion dollars, I think he is the best businessman on the planet,” the tycoon added sarcastically during his campaign appearance in North Carolina.

“So many dead (…) any deal, even the worst deal, would be better than what you have now,” he continued.

“You have a country that has been wiped off the map, it cannot be rebuilt,” Mr Trump explained. “It will take hundreds of years to rebuild. There wouldn’t be enough money even if the whole planet got together,” he fumed.

Also, Donald Trump blamed outgoing Democratic president Joe Biden and his vice president and presidential rival Kamala Harris for their continued support for Ukraine, saying he would end it if elected on November 5.

“They’re not going to be satisfied until they send kids from America” ​​to fight in Ukraine, the tycoon argued. “We will not send our soldiers to be killed on the other side of the ocean” if he wins, he promised.

Mr. Biden welcomes Mr. Zelensky to the White House today. The Ukrainian president is expected to present at the meeting a much-discussed “victory plan” against Russia.

Mr. Zelensky had expressed a few days ago the desire to meet with Mr. Trump during his visit to the US, but, according to a report by the news site Politico, this scenario now seems to be ruled out.