U.S. President Donald Trump will hold separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday, as the wars involving Iran and Ukraine reach pivotal stages and Washington reassesses its role in both conflicts.
Trump’s relationship with Zelenskiy has improved in recent months as Ukrainian forces have slowed Russian advances and intensified attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure. By contrast, Netanyahu arrives in Washington amid signs of growing White House frustration over the failure to secure a broader settlement in the Iran conflict.
Both leaders travelled to the U.S. capital to attend a memorial service for Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally and leading advocate of stronger American support for Ukraine.
Zelenskiy said air defence and strategic cooperation with Washington would be his main priorities during meetings with Trump and senior U.S. officials.
“Peace needs to be brought closer,” Zelenskiy wrote on X after arriving in Washington.
The visits come at a decisive moment in both wars. Trump has suspended U.S. airstrikes against Iran to allow another attempt at diplomacy following the collapse of a ceasefire, while Ukraine has gained confidence from recent battlefield successes.
Despite those developments, neither conflict appears close to ending.
Netanyahu seeks Trump backing ahead of election
Netanyahu is expected to seek Trump’s political support ahead of Israel’s October 27 election, according to sources familiar with the visit.
A high-profile White House meeting highlighting the traditionally close relationship between the two leaders could strengthen Netanyahu’s position at home, where he has struggled in opinion polls.
However, ties between Trump and Netanyahu have become increasingly strained. The U.S. president has at times sought to prevent Israel from expanding attacks in Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Tensions became public after reports of a heated June telephone call in which Trump described Netanyahu as “crazy”, remarks the president later acknowledged.
“In these complex times, you need to act with both great determination and great wisdom,” Netanyahu said before leaving for Washington.
“We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, primarily Iran. Our goal is to protect our security and also expand the circle of peace around us.”
A White House official said the talks would cover the Iran conflict, tensions between Israel and Lebanon and the possible expansion of the Abraham Accords.
Trump brokered the agreements during his first term, establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
The U.S. president is seeking to persuade Saudi Arabia to join the accords and last week linked a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Riyadh to normalisation with Israel.
Saudi Arabia has maintained that it will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without a credible path towards Palestinian statehood.
“Bibi’s been great,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.
“He was a wartime prime minister. We did very well together.”
Ukraine prioritises Patriot missiles
Zelenskiy is expected to hold a brief private meeting with Trump at the White House, according to a source familiar with the arrangements.
Ukrainian officials said securing Patriot missile interceptors would be Kyiv’s most urgent priority as Russian forces continue launching daily aerial attacks.
“We’re experiencing strikes every day, so we need Trump and his team to approve the purchase of missiles for the Patriots,” a Ukrainian source said. “It is a top priority to save lives.”
Zelenskiy is also expected to seek additional air-defence capabilities, finalise a drone agreement with the United States and discuss Trump’s pledge to grant Ukraine a licence to manufacture Patriot interceptors.
Relations between Trump and Zelenskiy were deeply strained during the early months of Trump’s second term, but have improved as Ukraine has demonstrated greater resilience against Russian forces.
Zelenskiy spoke last week with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the prospects of reviving peace negotiations with Moscow. He said Ukrainian and American officials could hold further talks in the United States within days.
“With President Zelenskiy, President Trump will discuss the ongoing peace process between Russia and Ukraine,” a White House official said. “Now is the time to end the war.”
Following his White House meeting, Zelenskiy is expected to visit the U.S. Capitol for talks with all 100 senators.
His visit comes amid criticism of the Pentagon over delays in releasing military assistance already approved by Congress.
A Pentagon letter sent to lawmakers said the Trump administration would not complete the distribution of $400 million in authorised aid to Ukraine until the 2029 fiscal year, despite Kyiv’s urgent need for weapons to defend against Russian missile and drone attacks.
Democrats and some Republican lawmakers have criticised the administration for withholding assistance that received bipartisan approval in Congress.
