Zelenskyy meets Trump at White House as Ukraine seeks more US support

Since returning to power early last year, Trump has halted direct US arms deliveries to Kyiv in favour of a programme allowing European countries to buy weapons for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held closed-door talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, as Ukraine sought renewed diplomatic and military support in its war against Russia. Zelenskyy spent just over an hour with Trump, and while no details were immediately released, the talks came as Kyiv and Moscow intensified long-range strikes and US-led efforts to end the war remained stalled. "A good meeting with President Trump at the Oval Office. Thank you for everything we do together to protect the lives of Ukrainians and advance peace," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X after the meeting. "The President and I discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help. We also spoke about diplomacy – it’s important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated. Our teams will arrange the details of their further communication. I am grateful to the United States for its firm support." Relations between Zelenskyy and Trump have improved since the start of the US president's second term. Earlier this month, Trump offered Kyiv licences to produce Patriot air defence missiles and suggested Ukrainian strikes inside Russia could help bring the war to an end. Last month was the deadliest for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022, according to the United Nations, as Russia stepped up its use of hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles. Trump to welcome Netanyahu at White House Zelensky is also due to attend a memorial service for Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of Ukraine who died unexpectedly this month at the age of 71. "I offered President Trump our condolences on the passing of Lindsey Graham. He was a true friend of Ukraine," he wrote. Trump will then welcome Netanyahu as the two leaders seek to overcome recent public disagreements over the Iran war. Their relationship came under strain during ceasefire negotiations earlier this year, when Trump publicly criticised the Israeli leader, although both have since sought to play down their differences. "This is a great responsibility," Netanyahu said before departing Israel. "We will discuss all the issues on the agenda, first and foremost Iran. Naturally, our goal is to safeguard our security and also to expand the circle of peace around us." The two leaders are expected to focus on the war with Iran as Washington presses for negotiations to resume, while also discussing implementation of a US-backed agreement between Israel and Lebanon and efforts to revive Gaza's reconstruction, which have stalled nearly three years after the 7 October 2023 attacks in southern Israel by Hamas and the resulting years-long war between Israel and Hamas in the Strip.