Trump says Zelensky wants Democrats to win US election

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Sept 23 that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants the Democrats to win the election in November, in which the former US president faces Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris.

- 

Trump's statement on the campaign trail contrasts with the line adopted by some of his allies, who said Ukraine would welcome him back as only he - in their telling has the acumen to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end Moscow's war on Ukraine.

"I think Zelensky is the greatest salesman in history. Every time he comes into the country, he walks away with US$60 billion," Trump said at a rally in western Pennsylvania.

"He wants them to win this election so badly but I would do differently I will work out peace." Ms Harris' campaign called out Trump for not having said he wants Ukraine to win the war.

"Vice-President Harris understands that if America walks away from Ukraine, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv with his eyes on the rest of Europe and our Nato allies," said Ms Morgan Finkelstein, the national security spokeswoman for Ms Harris' campaign.