“[Zelensky] said, ‘President Trump did absolutely nothing wrong,’” Trump said as Zelensky stood silently by his side ahead of their New York City meeting. “He said it loud and clear, and the impeachment hoax died right there.”

The comment referred to Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, which centered on accusations that Trump pressured Zelensky to investigate his political opponent, Joe Biden, and his son Hunter Biden, in exchange for military aid from the United States to fight off Russian-backed separatists.

Zelensky spoke up at the time and said there was “no blackmail,” and Trump was acquitted in the Senate.

“I’ve never told you this, to be honest,” Trump said Friday, “but he was like a piece of steel.”

But their relationship has soured a bit since, which might account for the worried look on Zelensky’s face as Trump spoke.

Zelensky has criticized Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), in interviews and stirred controversy by taking a Democrats-only factory tour in swing state Pennsylvania on Sunday. It was initially unclear whether Zelensky and Trump would meet at all during Zelensky’s visit to the U.S.

“I hope we have more good relations with us,” Zelensky told the press. Trump replied, “You know, it takes two to tango. We’re going to have a good meeting today. And I think the fact that we’re even together today is a very good sign.”

“Hopefully, we’ll have a good victory,” Trump added. “Because if the other side wins, I don’t think you’re going to have victories with anything.”

Zelensky met separately with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday. Harris noted it was her seventh time meeting with Zelensky and vowed that U.S. support for Ukraine would remain unwavering as part of a foreign policy strategy to maintain U.S. dominance on the world stage.

“Isolation is not insulation,” she said. “So then, the United States supports Ukraine, not out of charity but because it is in our strategic interest.”

Trump has criticized Zelensky as well, calling him “the greatest salesman on Earth” for securing more than $100 billion in U.S. aid while accusing him of “making little nasty aspersions toward your favorite president, me.”

Both leaders discussed their commonalities ahead of their meeting at Trump Tower.

“I think we have common view that the war in Ukraine has to be stopped, and Putin can’t win, and Ukraine has to prevail,” Zelensky said. “And I want to discuss with you the details of our plan.”

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Trump said he and Zelensky are looking toward an end to the war.

“I think that we can work out something that’s good for both sides. It’s time,” Trump said. “And by the way, [Zelensky] knows that, too. He wants to get something done. He doesn’t want to do this [war], and so we look forward to having the meeting.”