President Donald Trump said late on Tuesday that his meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy were positive, posting brief comments on his Truth Social account but providing few specifics about the conversations.
Netanyahu and Zelenskiy had traveled to Washington to attend a memorial service for Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican who died earlier this month and who had been a prominent supporter of both Israel and Ukraine.
In a short post about his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump wrote: "Had a very good meeting! Obviously, many important subjects were discussed." He also expressed irritation ahead of the encounter, complaining that elements of Netanyahu's planned talking points on Iran had been made public.
The interactions took place against a backdrop of recent military exchanges in the region. On February 28, the United States and Israel attacked targets in Iran, and Tehran subsequently launched strikes against Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases. According to the reporting, U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have since killed thousands and displaced millions.
The meeting occurred while a Gaza ceasefire that began in October has been repeatedly violated. Gaza health officials report that nearly 1,200 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began. Israeli authorities say four of their soldiers have been killed by militants in the same period.
Netanyahu characterized his session with Trump as "excellent." The two leaders did not provide further detail in the short public statements.
Zelenskiy also met with Trump. According to the published comments, their discussion covered plans for Ukraine to produce Patriot missile interceptors and explored the possibility of reviving peace talks with Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Trump wrote that "Many things were discussed. The meeting went very well," and Zelenskiy described the encounter as a "good meeting."
Context and public statements
Both meetings were described in succinct, public-facing posts rather than detailed briefings. The president and the visiting leaders emphasized that talks were constructive, but they did not release comprehensive accounts of the topics covered beyond the brief references in their statements.
Key takeaways
- Netanyahu and Zelenskiy were in Washington for Senator Lindsey Graham's memorial service and each held separate talks with President Trump.
- Trump posted brief comments on Truth Social declaring the meetings "very good" or "very well," while Netanyahu called his meeting "excellent."
- Zelenskiy and Trump discussed Ukraine producing Patriot missile interceptors and the prospect of reviving talks with Russia.
Ongoing developments noted in the meetings
- Recent U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 prompted Iranian reprisals against Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. bases.
- Reported strikes and counterstrikes have led to large-scale casualties and displacement in affected areas.
- The Gaza ceasefire, which began in October, has been repeatedly violated, with Gaza health officials reporting nearly 1,200 Palestinians killed since then and Israeli authorities reporting the deaths of four soldiers at the hands of militants.
Note: Public remarks about the meetings were concise and did not provide full transcripts or detailed outcomes. The leaders described the encounters as positive but did not publish comprehensive summaries of the discussions.