WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump held separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, with the White House describing both discussions as “positive and productive.”
The two leaders travelled to the US capital to attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent supporter of Israel and a longtime advocate of American military assistance to Ukraine, who passed away earlier this month.
Trump, Zelensky Discuss Ukraine’s Air Defence Needs
During his meeting with Trump, President Zelensky focused on Ukraine’s urgent security requirements, particularly the country’s need for stronger air defence capabilities amid intensified Russian missile and drone attacks.
According to officials, Zelensky sought assurances that the United States would continue supporting Ukraine’s defence efforts. He was also expected to urge Trump to fulfil a commitment made during this month’s NATO summit to allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles under licence.
Kyiv has repeatedly stressed that additional Patriot missile systems are critical for protecting major cities and civilian infrastructure from increasingly frequent Russian aerial assaults.
Netanyahu Visit Comes Amid Iran Tensions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit took place against the backdrop of growing differences between Washington and Jerusalem over policy towards Iran.
Although US-Israel relations remain strategically strong, recent disagreements regarding the handling of Iran and broader Middle East security issues have created diplomatic tensions between the two allies.
Officials said Trump and Netanyahu discussed regional security developments and bilateral cooperation during their closed-door meeting.
White House Calls Meetings Constructive
The White House characterised both meetings as “positive and productive,” without releasing detailed information about the discussions.
Following his meeting with Zelensky, President Trump also shared a brief message on his Truth Social platform, writing: “Went very well!”
The separate meetings underscored the United States’ continuing engagement with two key allies facing major security challenges, as Washington balances its commitments in both Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
