President Donald Trump held separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Tuesday, ahead of the funeral service for the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The back-to-back diplomatic talks come at a critical moment as Washington weighs a ceasefire decision in the Iran conflict and attempts to consolidate a shift in policy toward Ukraine.
The meeting with Zelenskyy, set for 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, was closed to the media, according to reports. It is expected to be far more cordial than their last encounter, when Trump openly berated the Ukrainian leader and told him “you don’t have the cards.” The change in tone reflects a broader recalibration by the Trump administration, which has recently signalled a more supportive posture toward Kyiv. Trump and Zelenskyy had a friendly meeting at a NATO summit earlier this month, and the White House has faced growing pressure from rightwing influencers and some Republican lawmakers to maintain aid to Ukraine.
Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump was described as “positive and productive” by officials familiar with the talks. The Israeli prime minister’s visit to Washington coincides with the funeral of Graham, a longtime ally of both leaders. The discussions are believed to have focused on the ongoing military campaign against Iran, particularly the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian assets in the Strait of Hormuz and the Caspian Sea. Trump is expected to make a final decision on a proposed ceasefire with Iran following his talks with Netanyahu, sources indicated.
Both Zelenskyy and Netanyahu travelled to Washington primarily to attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who died unexpectedly last week at the age of 70. Graham, a close confidant of Trump and a hawkish voice on foreign policy, was known for his bipartisan outreach and his staunch support for Israel and Ukraine. His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes across the political spectrum, but it has also triggered a period of sombre reflection in Washington.
Trump, now 80, has been musing about his own mortality in the wake of Graham’s passing, according to reports. The president has expressed disbelief at the sudden loss of his friend, often referring to Graham’s high energy levels in private conversations. Vice President JD Vance delivered a eulogy at the Capitol on Monday, during which he recalled a story Graham once told him that, if repeated, “would be the end of my political career.” The funeral service is scheduled for later Tuesday at the Washington National Cathedral, with many current and former world leaders expected to attend.
The meetings with the two leaders underscore Trump's dual focus on the Middle East and Europe. On Iran, the administration is weighing whether to accept a ceasefire proposal brokered by Oman and mediated by Russia, after weeks of joint US-Israeli airstrikes against Iranian naval and nuclear facilities. On Ukraine, the shift in Trump’s rhetoric has been notable: after years of scepticism and pressure on Kyiv, the administration has begun to explore new arms packages and diplomatic support to counter Russian advances.
The White House said the talks would be followed by a working lunch among senior national security officials. No joint press conference is scheduled, but readouts are expected later in the day. The funeral of Lindsey Graham, however, remains the unifying event that brought these heads of state and government to the capital, reflecting the late senator’s enduring influence on American foreign policy.
