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U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in separate, non-public sessions at the White House on Tuesday, with both leaders in Washington to attend the funeral of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
“Similar to what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy faced in the White House”
The White House described the meetings as “positive and productive,” with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying, “Both meetings were positive and productive,” after Trump concluded his Oval Office meetings with Zelensky and Netanyahu.
Foreign Policy said the closed-door sessions focused on “licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help” Kyiv’s war effort, while also describing Netanyahu’s meeting as centered on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In the same reporting, Trump had previously said, “we need them for ourselves too,” after ruling out giving Kyiv more Patriots from Washington’s own stockpile, and Zelensky sought greater assurances for near-term support.
UPI reported that the funeral service for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham began at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., with Netanyahu and Zelensky in attendance.
Leavitt, Zelensky, Netanyahu
Caroline Levit, a White House spokesperson, told ISNA that the separate meetings were “positive and constructive,” and the same account said Zelensky described his meeting with Trump as “good.”
ISNA also said Zelensky discussed “the authorization to produce Patriot missiles and several other ideas and the continuation of the diplomatic process,” while the Office of the Israeli Prime Minister had not yet commented on Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump.
BBC reported that the Trump-Netanyahu meeting was the first between Netanyahu and Trump since the start of the Iran war, and it said the meeting came as Trump said he was considering a strong offensive if talks with Iran fail.
BBC added that Trump criticized Netanyahu’s public disclosure of the main topics of their talks, saying, “I do not need Bibi to tell me this.”
In UPI’s account of Graham’s funeral, Trump said, “nothing of consequence happened in this capital without Lindsey Graham knowing about it,” as Vice President JD Vance and dozens of dignitaries eulogized the late senator in Washington, D.C.
Iran Focus and Next Steps
Foreign Policy reported that Netanyahu’s Tuesday face-to-face meeting aimed to secure White House approval amid growing tensions, and it said both sides reiterated that Tehran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
“For the first time since the start of the 40-day war, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, met with Donald Trump, the President of the United States, at the White House”
BBC said Netanyahu told Trump, “We will discuss all topics on the agenda, especially Iran,” and it added that details of the meeting were not released while Trump had expressed dissatisfaction beforehand.
In Iran-related reaction, BBC quoted Mohammad Akraminia, the army spokesman, saying the meeting was important and that the United States might, under Israeli pressure, carry out a wide aerial operation, while also stressing Iran had plans for all options.
UPI said Graham died July 11 at age 71 and that he was eulogized at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., where Senate Republican leader John Thune said, “Lindsey will be remembered as a senator and as a statesman,” as memorializing continued beyond Tuesday’s service.
The Foreign Policy account tied the meetings to the broader diplomatic agenda, noting that Zelensky and Trump discussed Patriot interceptor production and that Netanyahu’s meeting reportedly centered on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with both sessions occurring ahead of Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral.
