Both Netanyahu and Zelensky meet with Trump.Image: keystone
July 28, 2026, 05:05July 28, 2026, 05:05
The recently deceased US Senator Lindsey Graham was a key supporter of Israel and Ukraine in Washington.
A funeral service for the Republican is now taking place in the US capital, at which, according to Ukrainian and US media reports, alongside Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is also expected.
For both of them, the visit is also a welcome opportunity to meet US President Donald Trump.
Key points that are relevant:
Netanyahu and Trump
First meeting since the start of the Iran war
Trump last received Netanyahu at the White House in February. At the center of the discussions at the time: dealing with Iran. Around two and a half weeks later, the USA and Israel launched their joint attacks against the Islamic Republic. Five months have passed since then – and the different interests of the USA and Israel in the war have become increasingly visible. While Israel wanted to continue the war, according to media reports, Trump’s recent focus has long been on a diplomatic solution.
However, following the recent escalation in the war, both the agreed ceasefire and Washington’s framework agreement with Tehran are now history. This is a problem for Trump: the important midterm elections for the US Congress are coming up in just under 100 days. The war is unpopular at home – and some in the US blame Netanyahu for persuading Trump to do so.
relationship between the two
In recent months, the once good relationship between the two has been strained due to differences in the Iran war. Especially before a landmark election in Israel in October, it is now crucial for Netanyahu to present a united front with Trump.
Before the meeting, Netanyahu emphasized that it was his eighth meeting with Trump during his second term in office, “more than with any other international head of state or government.” This is “a great privilege, but also a great responsibility.” Trump, in turn, said on Monday that he and Netanyahu had a “small disagreement” when it came to Iran, but that they were pretty close.
What Netanyahu could be talking about with Trump
At the beginning of his US trip, Netanyahu made it clear that the most important topic at the meeting with Trump would be Iran. The Israeli TV channel N12 reported that Netanyahu wanted to provide Trump with intelligence information about Iran’s alleged efforts to rebuild its military capabilities. This also included alleged efforts by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Moschtaba Khamenei, to work towards a nuclear weapon. Tehran has denied such reports for years.
“But convincing Trump to abandon a stalled diplomatic process in favor of a new, large-scale military operation will likely be a major challenge,” wrote the Times of Israel, against the background of media reports that Netanyahu could also ask Trump for a “green light” for new Israeli attacks in Iran.
Zelensky and Trump
Several meetings in the past few weeks
Trump and Zelensky have seen each other more often in recent weeks: at the beginning of the month at the NATO summit in Ankara – and in mid-June at the G7 summit in Évian, France. At both summits, the USA also shared common positions on the war in Ukraine.
During the election campaign, Trump once said that he could end the Russian war within 24 hours. But his mediation efforts have not yet produced a breakthrough. In recent months, his focus has also been heavily on his own war in Iran.
relationship between the two
When Zelenskyj comes to Washington, memories of the scandal in the Oval Office will inevitably come back. Shortly after taking office, Trump loudly accused his Ukrainian colleague in front of cameras and then abruptly broke off the meeting.
Afterwards, relations between the two heads of state visibly improved – even if Trump continued to face criticism for not showing enough distance from Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Zelensky, the turning point was a short conversation in the Vatican in April 2025. “That was a historic moment because we changed our relationship in 15, 20 minutes,” Zelensky told right-wing US influencer Laura Loomer in a recent interview in Kiev. He was very happy about it because many lives depended on his dialogue with Trump.
What Zelenskyj could be talking about with Trump
Shortly before his death, Zelensky also spoke to Trump ally Graham in Kiev. The senator announced the White House’s support for a new sanctions package against Russia. The initiative is aimed, among other things, at countries that import Russian energy sources and thereby help finance the war against Ukraine. The package has been stuck in the Senate for a long time. After Graham’s death, several senators try to bring closure to the central concern of their deceased colleague. Kyiv sees this as an opportunity to increase pressure on Russia.
In addition to the sanctions, new deliveries of Patriot anti-aircraft missiles are particularly relevant for Zelenskyj before the coming winter. Kyiv is about to receive a production license for these missiles. However, setting up production in Ukraine will still take months and production figures will hardly be able to cover Ukrainian needs given the increasing Russian missile fire.
In mid-July, the Ukrainian head of state stated a minimum requirement of 300 of these rockets for the three winter months. However, according to media reports, Washington is currently fighting its own war against Iran with dwindling reserves of air defense ammunition. (sda/dpa)