Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a “very different” meeting with former President Trump compared to President Biden and his opponent in the 2024 election.

“In one case he was meeting with the vice president, who was in charge when tens of thousands of Zelensky’s people in Ukraine were killed,” Pompeo said about Zelensky's meeting with Vice President Harris on Fox News Friday.

“And the other president had deterred Vladimir Putin for four years,” he added about Trump.

Trump met with Zelensky at Trump Tower in New York on Friday, describing the relationship with the Ukrainian leader as “very good.” Recently, Trump’s comments about the war in Ukraine have sparked controversy after he refused to say he wanted Ukraine to defeat Russia at the presidential debate. 

Pompeo stressed that the country was stronger during the Trump administration, arguing that the former president was capable of “deterring” the Russian president despite the “Russia hoax.” 

“The United States of America stood strong, we were capable of deterring Vladimir Putin in spite of the fact that CNN and The Washington Post talked about President Trump as being a Russia puppet,” Pompeo told anchor Jesse Watters. 

Zelensky also met with both Biden and Vice President Harris this week, and the Biden administration announced about $8 billion in aid to support the Eastern European country.  The Ukrainian president sought to present Trump, Biden and Harris with his peace plans as world leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly this week. 

Pompeo added that with Trump in office there would be less risks in the Middle East and Europe, and that the Republican administration would “confront” the Chinese Communist Party and secure the borders. 

“With President Trump in office, we will achieve peace,” Pompeo said. “We will get a good outcome for the Ukrainian people and Vladimir Putin will again be deterred from the aggression we have seen.”