Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emerged from the White House today with an upbeat message, calling his talks with US President Donald Trump a “good meeting” focused on Patriot air-defence interceptor production licences and a possible path back to negotiations with Russia.
Mr Zelensky met Mr Trump for just over an hour, sitting down with the US leader at a moment when Kyiv and Moscow are trading heavier long-range attacks and Washington’s push to broker an end to the war has lost momentum.
“Thank you for everything we do together to protect the lives of Ukrainians and advance peace,” Mr Zelensky wrote afterwards in a statement on X.
“The President and I discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help,” he said. “We also spoke about diplomacy – it’s important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated.”
The meeting underscored a thaw in relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump since the opening months of the US president’s second term, with Mr Trump saying earlier this month that Ukrainian strikes inside Russia could play a role in bringing the war to a close.
Donald Trump accused Volodymyr Zelensky of ingratitude during their February 2025 meeting
Before today’s talks, a senior Ukrainian official said Kyiv was focused on securing new supplies of anti-ballistic missiles and finding ways to restart diplomacy, more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
According to the United Nations, last month was the deadliest for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022, as Russia expanded its use of ballistic missiles that are especially difficult to shoot down.
“It is crucial that Washington approve the purchase of a package of Patriot missiles. That is super important,” the Ukrainian official said.
Mr Zelensky was also expected to attend a memorial ceremony for Republican senator Lindsey Graham, a firm supporter of Ukraine who died unexpectedly this month aged 71.
Mr Zelensky said he had expressed condolences to Mr Trump over Mr Graham’s death, describing the senator as “a true friend of Ukraine”.
Since returning to the White House last year, Mr Trump has halted direct US weapons deliveries to Kyiv, while permitting European governments to purchase arms for Ukraine.
Even so, Washington remains a crucial partner, providing intelligence support and access to the Starlink satellite network used for battlefield communications.
The relationship between the two presidents has improved since their dramatic Oval Office clash in February 2025, when Mr Trump accused Mr Zelensky of ingratitude and of “gambling with World War III”.
At their most recent meeting in Turkey this month, Mr Trump praised Mr Zelensky for doing “an amazing job” and offered Kyiv licences to produce Patriot missiles.
Last week, Mr Zelensky spoke with Mr Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about how to “reinvigorate diplomacy” after the Middle East war pushed Ukraine lower on Washington’s agenda.
Earlier US mediation efforts collapsed over Ukrainian territory claimed by Russia.
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Following the White House meeting and Mr Graham’s memorial, Mr Zelensky is expected to address senators shortly before an initial procedural vote on a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill.
Mr Graham had spent more than a year pressing for the measure and reached agreement with the White House on revisions shortly before his death.
The legislation has 62 Senate co-sponsors, though some Democrats have raised concerns about provisions that would broaden Mr Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on countries purchasing Russian energy.
Backers are hoping a decisive bipartisan vote will accelerate final passage and add pressure on the House of Representatives, where the bill faces sharper divisions.
At the same time, relations between Moscow and Washington have grown chillier since Mr Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last August.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said yesterday that no talks on an aerial ceasefire were taking place and warned that increased Ukrainian attacks inside Russia would extend the war.
Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian oil depots, refineries and shipping in recent weeks, helping to drive fuel shortages.
Just hours before Mr Zelensky sat down with Mr Trump, Kyiv sent hundreds of drones into Russia.
Moscow, meanwhile, launched more than 100 drones at Ukraine overnight and has kept up attacks on the port of Odesa and on ships carrying Ukrainian agricultural exports.
Netanyahu visits White House for first Trump talks during Iran war
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also arrived at the White House today for his first face-to-face talks with Mr Trump since the Iran war began, saying afterwards that the two leaders discussed how to ensure Tehran does not obtain nuclear weapons.
The private meeting, described by the White House as “positive and productive”, ran for around an hour and a half and came as Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump sought to smooth over public differences about the war.
In a video message after the talks, Mr Netanyahu called it “one of the best conversations I’ve ever had with the president of the United States” and said the discussion covered “our common goal: ensuring that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons”.
The Iran war began in late February with US-Israeli strikes, but fighting has recently paused, with Washington saying it wants to give negotiations room to proceed.
Israel has not joined the latest round of hostilities between the US and Iran, which erupted earlier this month after an April ceasefire broke down.
