Zelenskyy has a ’good meeting’ with Trump at the White House as he seeks more cooperation with U.S

Published 28 July 2026 · world

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Tuesday (July 28, 2026) ahead of Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral, with the two leaders discussing

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Tuesday (July 28, 2026) ahead of Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral, with the two leaders discussing ways for Ukraine to produce its own powerful weapons and “other ideas that could help” in its ongoing war against Russia. The sit-down in the Oval Office, which was closed to the media, followed a consequential meeting at the NATO summit earlier this month in Ankara, Turkey, where Mr. Trump announced that the U.S. will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot defense systems — a long-running request from Kyiv to counter Russian missile attacks. In a post on social media after the meeting, Mr. Zelenskyy thanked Mr. Trump for the “good meeting” and the Republican administration’s efforts to aid Kyiv in the long-running war, which began more than four years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. “The President and I discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help,” said Mr. Zelenskyy, who also noted that he offered condolences to Mr. Trump for the death of Graham, a close ally. “We also spoke about diplomacy – it’s important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated.” The White House did not immediately return a request for comment on the meeting.

Trump welcomed Mr. Zelenskyy to the White House as the Ukrainian leader traveled to Washington to honor Graham, whose final act as a public official was visiting Kyiv and securing an agreement on a package of sanctions that seek to punish countries that purchase Russian oil, gas and other exports. In a Fox News Channel interview on Tuesday (July 28, 2026), Mr. Trump recalled Graham’s hawkishness and said the Republican South Carolina senator’s support for Ukraine never wavered. Mr. Trump said Graham had suggested it was time to make a deal with Iran but had no similar suggestion for the Russia-Ukraine war. “Ukraine, he’s very militant about,” Mr. Trump said on “Fox & Friends.” “I mean, Lindsey liked war, to be honest with you.” The Trump administration’s embrace of Zelenskyy comes as a far-right activist with the U.S. President’s ear had a recent, widely publicized change of heart on Russia’s war against Ukraine. Laura Loomer, known primarily for her incendiary social media posts and her influence with Mr. Trump, has been traveling through Ukraine, witnessing Moscow’s barrage firsthand and interviewing Mr. Zelenskyy while admitting she was “bamboozled by Russian propaganda.” Loomer said she spoke to Mr. Trump after she met with Mr. Zelenskyy in Ukraine last week, and she expects to meet with the U.S. president once she returns from her trip.