Zelenskyy Meets Trump at White House Before Lindsey Graham’s Funeral/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet President Donald Trump at the White House before attending Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral. Zelenskyy said anti-ballistic defense and strategic cooperation with the United States were his leading priorities during the Washington visit. Senators are also considering Graham’s legislation targeting Russia and countries that purchase Russian energy products.
Quick Look
- Trump and Zelenskyy are scheduled to meet Tuesday.
- It will be their second meeting in July.
- Zelenskyy will attend Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral.
- He will also meet senators at the Capitol.
- Ukraine is seeking greater US anti-ballistic defense support.
- Trump recently offered Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot systems.
- Graham’s sanctions bill targets major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
- China and India would be among the countries affected.
- Zelenskyy accused Russia of assisting Iran with satellite imagery.
- Trump said any Russian assistance had been “very un-impactful.”
- Laura Loomer said visiting Ukraine changed her views about the war.
Deep Look
Zelenskyy Arrives for White House Meeting
WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday before the two leaders attend the funeral of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.
It will be their second meeting in July and comes as Ukraine seeks additional American assistance against Russian missile attacks.
Zelenskyy said early Tuesday that he had arrived in the United States and outlined the goals of his visit.
“Our schedule includes meetings with President Trump, his team, and those who can support our defense,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
“Our number one priority is anti-ballistic defense and strategic cooperation with America. Peace needs to be brought closer.”
Graham’s Final Official Trip Was to Kyiv
Zelenskyy traveled to Washington partly to honor Graham, a prominent supporter of Ukraine who died unexpectedly in July from a tear in his aorta.
Graham’s final official act was a visit to Kyiv, where he secured an agreement concerning sanctions intended to punish countries purchasing Russian oil, natural gas and other exports.
The South Carolina senator consistently advocated a forceful US response to Russia’s invasion.
Trump recalled Graham’s hawkish foreign-policy positions during a Tuesday interview on “Fox & Friends.”
“Ukraine he’s very militant about,” Trump said. “I mean, Lindsey liked war, to be honest with you.”
Trump said Graham had recently supported reaching an agreement with Iran but did not display the same desire for compromise in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Zelenskyy Plans Capitol Meetings
Following his White House talks and Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral, Zelenskyy is expected to meet senators at the Capitol on Tuesday evening.
A person familiar with the meeting confirmed the plan on condition of anonymity because it had not been publicly announced.
Republican leaders hope to advance Graham’s sanctions proposal before the Senate leaves Washington for its August recess.
The measure has dozens of Democratic and Republican supporters and is being presented as Graham’s principal legislative legacy.
Sanctions Bill Targets Russian Energy Buyers
Graham’s legislation would impose tariffs on products imported from the five countries purchasing the largest quantities of Russian oil or natural gas.
China and India are among the countries that could be affected.
The measure also calls for sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.
Supporters argue that targeting Russia’s customers would reduce the revenue Moscow uses to fund its war against Ukraine.
The Senate must balance the proposal with several other legislative priorities before the August break.
Trump Offered Ukraine Patriot Production License
Trump and Zelenskyy previously met during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, earlier in July.
Following that meeting, Trump announced that the United States would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air-defense systems.
Kyiv has sought additional Patriot capacity to protect cities and infrastructure from Russian missile and drone attacks.
The systems are expensive, technically complex and in high demand among US allies.
Trump said the United States would assist Ukraine with production and predicted that it could begin manufacturing the systems “pretty quickly.”
He also said that he and Zelenskyy had “actually developed a good relationship.”
Loomer’s Ukraine Reversal Draws Attention
Zelenskyy has recently received support from Laura Loomer, a far-right activist known for inflammatory social media posts and her influence with Trump.
Loomer traveled through Ukraine, experienced Russian attacks and interviewed Zelenskyy.
She subsequently said she had been “bamboozled by Russian propaganda.”
Loomer told AP that she spoke with Trump after meeting Zelenskyy and expected to see the president again after returning from Ukraine.
“It’s looking good for Ukraine, right?” Loomer said. “Going into this meeting next week at the Oval Office is looking pretty good.”
Her change in position could influence elements of Trump’s political coalition that have previously opposed or questioned American support for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy Accuses Russia of Helping Iran
Ahead of his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy alleged that Russia was supporting Iran during its conflict with the United States.
He said Russia had captured satellite images of American military bases in the Gulf and that similar images later appeared in Iran.
Zelenskyy claimed there was a “clear correlation” between the Russian imagery and subsequent Iranian attacks.
“The purpose is clear,” Zelenskyy said earlier in July. “None of us in the world should turn a blind eye to one very simple fact: Evil always seeks ways to make things worse and spread further.”
The supplied report did not include independent verification of his allegations.
Trump Downplays Alleged Russian Assistance
Trump minimized the potential importance of any Russian support for Iran.
“I don’t think they’ve been doing it, certainly not at a high level,” he told reporters Monday aboard Air Force One while traveling to Michigan.
“And if they have, it has been very un-impactful,” Trump added.
The president nevertheless said he would raise the issue with Putin.
The allegations connect the Iran and Ukraine wars at a time when Washington is attempting to manage both conflicts and prevent further escalation.
Defense Support Leads Washington Agenda
Zelenskyy’s visit combines military, diplomatic and commemorative objectives.
His immediate priority is securing stronger protection against Russian ballistic missiles while expanding long-term defense cooperation with Washington.
The Patriot-production arrangement could provide Ukraine with a more sustainable supply of air-defense systems, although manufacturing would require substantial time, investment and technical assistance.
Graham’s sanctions legislation offers a separate strategy for weakening Russia economically by targeting both its government and its energy customers.
The White House meeting will test whether Trump is prepared to deepen those commitments as Ukraine seeks to strengthen its defenses and move the war closer to a negotiated conclusion.
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