U.S. President Donald Trump is set to hold separate talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Washington on Tuesday, as escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe dominate his foreign policy agenda.
The meetings come at a pivotal moment for both wars and highlight the contrasting state of Trump’s relationships with the two leaders.
Trump’s ties with Zelenskiy have strengthened in recent months following Ukraine’s success in slowing Russian advances and increasing strikes on Russia’s oil infrastructure. By contrast, Netanyahu’s visit comes amid growing White House frustration over stalled diplomatic efforts to contain the Iran conflict and concerns among some of Trump’s supporters about greater U.S. involvement in the region.
The three leaders are in Washington to attend a memorial service for Senator Lindsey Graham, a veteran Republican lawmaker and close Trump ally who consistently advocated stronger U.S. support for Ukraine.
The White House said Trump and Netanyahu will discuss developments in Iran, tensions along Israel’s border with Lebanon and the future of the Abraham Accords, the agreements that normalised Israel’s relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan during Trump’s first administration.
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Trump is also seeking to expand the accords by persuading Saudi Arabia to join, although Riyadh has maintained it will not do so without a credible path towards Palestinian statehood.
Netanyahu is expected to use the visit to reinforce his standing ahead of Israel’s October 27 general election. Sources familiar with the matter said he hopes to secure Trump’s public backing as he seeks another term in office.
“In these complex times, you need to act with both great determination and great wisdom. We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, primarily Iran,” Netanyahu said before departing for Washington.
“Of course, our goal is to protect our security and also to expand the circle of peace around us,” he added.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Monday, Trump praised the Israeli leader.
“Bibi’s been great,” Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. “He was a wartime prime minister. We did very well together.”
Trump’s meeting with Zelenskiy is expected to focus on the war in Ukraine, where recent battlefield developments have improved Kyiv’s position and helped reset relations between the two leaders.
