NEW YORK: Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy held high-stakes talks on Friday following several attacks by the White House hopeful on the Ukrainian president as the looming American election raises questions over long-term United States support for ally Kyiv in its war with Russia.

Foreign policy hawks have voiced fears that a second Trump term would spell disaster for Ukraine's defence, as the Republican has repeatedly defended Russia's President Vladimir Putin while voicing scepticism over US funding for Kyiv.

Zelenskyy had met Trump's election rival Kamala Harris, as well as President Joe Biden, on Thursday in Washington and both pledged their support for Ukraine.

Trump, who this week accused Zelenskyy of refusing to "make a deal" to end the conflict, vowed to bring peace if he wins a second term in office as the two men addressed reporters after their tete-a-tete at Trump Tower in New York.

"It's a shame but this is a war that should have never happened and we'll get it solved. It is a complicated puzzle," Trump said.

"Too many people dead. Too many beautiful cities."

Before the meeting, which lastedless than an hour, the former US president had hailed his alliance with Zelenskyy but added: "I also have a very good relationship - as you know - with President Putin."

Zelenskyy responded that the pair shared a "common view that the war in Ukraine has to be stopped" and that it is imperative that Ukraine prevail.

Later in a post on X, Zelenskyy described the meeting as "very productive".

"I presented him our Victory Plan, and we thoroughly reviewed the situation in Ukraine and the consequences of the war for our people," Zelenskyy wrote."Many details were discussed. I am grateful for this meeting. A just peace is needed."

The meeting initially looked like it would be scrapped after Zelenskyy told 'The New Yorker' magazine that Trump "doesn't really know how to stop the war" and that his running mate, J.D. Vance, is "too radical".

Trump, who refused to say whether he wants Ukraine to defeat Russia during his debate with Harris earlier this month, hit back at Zelenskyy at a campaign rally on Wednesday in North Carolina, berating him as "a man who refuses to make a deal" for peace.

Zelenskyy is in New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly, and has been looking to shore up support for his country's war effort as it struggles on the battlefield in the third year of Moscow's invasion.

The Ukrainian leader presented a so-called "victory " plan to Biden and Harris at the White House on Thursday, with Biden announcing a new military aid package worth nearly US$8 billion for Kyiv.

  - AFP