Trump vows to end Ukraine bloodshed amid rally chaos

On Monday, Trump participated in a meeting with his supporters in Oaks, a suburb of Philadelphia, where he answered questions from his followers, mainly focusing on the economy and immigration. During one of his responses, he digressed into the topic of the war in Ukraine.

"I got along very well with Putin. I understand what's happening. Ukraine was his pride and joy. He talked about it, but I told him, 'You won't go in.' And he didn't. This is only because of Biden. He looked at this guy and couldn't even believe it," Trump recounted.

In an interview with CNN, he said, "It's not a matter of sides. I want people to stop dying. That's all. I want them to stop dying."

Trump's rally, which took place in an unairconditioned warehouse in Oaks, was twice interrupted due to attendees fainting. After the second incident, Trump ordered the song "Ave Maria" to be sung and refrained from further questions, focusing on playing music by artists like Luciano Pavarotti, James Brown, and Guns 'n' Roses.

This was the second rally of Trump's with logistical issues. At a previous rally in California, after an appearance in Coachella, thousands of his fans couldn't return to their parked cars.

At the same time, on the opposite end of Pennsylvania, in Erie, Kamala Harris held her rally. She focused on her program, abortion rights, and the threats she believes Donald Trump poses. Presenting excerpts of Trump's statements, Harris said, "He talks about the enemy within... he says he considers anyone who doesn't support him as an enemy of our country. He says he will use the military to go after them."

"We know whom he would target because he's attacked them before: journalists whose articles he doesn't like, election officials who refuse to cheat and find extra votes for him, judges who insist on upholding the law rather than bending to his will. This is one of the reasons why I strongly believe a second term for Trump would be a huge risk for America and dangerous," she added.

Harris accused Trump of increasing instability and striving for unlimited power. Meanwhile, Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, described Trump as "a fascist to the core." Similarly, he was assessed by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, quoted in a new book by journalist Bob Woodward.

With 19 Electoral College votes, Pennsylvania is considered a key state in the current elections. Voters in most counties can already cast ballots by mail or in person. Of the over 400,000 votes cast, 69% are from Democrats. In 2020, the percentage of Democrats voting by mail was 64.8%.