President Donald Trump held separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said were "positive and productive". The talks took place in Washington as the country welcomed the Ukrainian leader on the anniversary of the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, a known ally of both Israeli and Ukrainian causes.
Zelensky pressed Trump on a recent promise made at the NATO summit – licensing Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptor missiles – a key piece of air‑defence capability to counter escalating Russian drone and ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. Trump confirmed that he had authorised the licence, with Kiev hoping to create a co‑production partnership with U.S. defense firms.
Israel’s Netanyahu arrived amid a tense U.S.–Israel relationship over Iran policy. He highlighted a shared goal of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and praised the conversation as "one of the best" he had with Trump. Both leaders joked that it was a very good meeting in brief posts on social media.
While the Philippines, sanctions and the Senate vote over Russian energy purchases created a backdrop of increasing U.S. pressure on Russia, the meetings reminded observers that Washington remained closely tied to the conflict in Ukraine. The Patriot system – costing roughly $3‑$5 million per missile – is one of the few air‑defence systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, with Ukraine desiring 25 batteries to properly shield its population.
The follow‑up to these talks will involve U.S. officials clarifying the details of the licensing arrangement and considering deployment options for the Patriot system, while further negotiations will occur on Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional destabilisation.
