President Zelensky Meets With Trump as Their Relationship Seems to Thawed
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| President Trump with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine last year at Mar-a-Lago. |
What We’re Covering
Zelensky Visit: President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine arrived at the White House on Tuesday for a planned meeting with President Trump, as their once-fractured relationship appears stronger. The visit comes after Ukrainian forces hit an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea, underscoring the links between the wars in Ukraine and Iran. Read more ›
Netanyahu in Washington: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is also scheduled to meet with Mr. Trump later on Tuesday morning. Mr. Netanyahu, who is making his eighth trip to the White House since Mr. Trump began his second term, said that Iran would be “first and foremost” on the agenda.
President Trump with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine at Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Fla., last year. Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is planning to meet President Trump at the White House on Tuesday at a time when their relationship appears stronger than ever before — even as both men face challenges at home.
At the meeting, Mr. Zelensky, still confronting domestic fallout over sacking both his defense minister and army chief, will be hoping to reboot stalled peace talks in Ukraine’s war against Russia and to push for more U.S. help with weapons, particularly air defense. It’s likely, analysts say, that the men will also discuss the potential of a cease-fire in long-range airstrikes between Russia and Ukraine.
Mr. Zelensky will also attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, who died suddenly on July 11, hours after returning from Ukraine. The South Carolina Republican was perhaps Ukraine’s biggest ally in Mr. Trump’s circle, whose members have typically echoed Russian talking points.
Some analysts have speculated that Mr. Graham’s death might push Mr. Trump to be more sympathetic toward Ukraine. Some have also taken note of the visit this month to Ukraine by the right-wing activist Laura Loomer, part of the MAGA movement, who has recently expressed support for Ukraine.
Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, after meeting with Mr. Zelenskiy in Kyiv, Ukraine, this month. Mr. Graham was perhaps Ukraine’s biggest ally in Mr. Trump’s circle.Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters Others said Mr. Trump wanted to revive peace talks because he needed a diplomatic win and because reaching a lasting cease-fire in the U.S. war on Iran has proved elusive.
“The relationship with Iran is still very much fragile,” said Harry Nedelcu, a senior director at Rasmussen Global, a European political advisory firm. So, he added, “Ukraine comes to the forefront.”
“But most importantly for both men,” he continued, “this is a moment where they could validate each other’s diplomatic efforts and leverage each other. Trump could leverage Zelensky, and Zelensky could help him validate his own administration at a time when domestically, Trump is not doing very well.”
The two leaders have long had a tricky relationship. Their meeting at the White House at the beginning of Mr. Trump’s second term was a disaster, punctuated by Mr. Zelensky’s being asked to leave. The Trump administration has consistently leaned toward Russiain peace negotiations, saying Mr. Zelensky did not have the cards to win. Under Mr. Trump, the United States cut off almost all military aid to Ukraine.
Mr. Zelensky has worked hard to mollify Mr. Trump in subsequent meetings. And Ukraine has fared better against Russia this year than expected, largely because of its drone advances. Ukraine is projecting the kind of strength that Mr. Trump typically favors.
The United States has also turned to Ukraine for help with dronesand with drone interceptors, particularly in the war on Iran.
“There is a better chemistry now I see between them,” said Volodymyr Dubovyk, director of the Center for International Studies at Odesa National University in Ukraine.
“Maybe Zelensky understands Trump a little better,” he added. “Maybe Trump understands Zelensky a little bit better.”
Ukraine has even peripherally entered the fray in the Iran war, hitting an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea with a long-range droneon Saturday. Iran, which has long provided drone technology to Russia that is used against Ukraine, said the ship was a commercial vessel, vowed retaliation and accused Ukraine of deliberately widening the war. Mr. Zelensky said Kyiv had struck a cargo vessel moving military supplies between Iran and Russia.
While Ukraine’s long-range drones have also caused damage in parts of Russia, Ukraine is at a significant disadvantage in the air war. So far in July, Russia has fired 117 ballistic missiles at Ukrainian cities, according to a New York Times data set based on numbers from the Ukrainian Air Force, almost a monthly record.
A view over St. Petersburg, Russia, after a warehouse was hit by drones this month. Ukraine has fared better against Russia this year than expected, largely because of its drone advances.Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Mr. Zelensky has repeatedly asked for more U.S.-made Patriot interceptor missiles — the only air defense system Ukraine possesses that is capable of shooting down Russia’s ballistic missiles. This month, in another positive sign for Ukraine, Mr. Trump agreed to allow Ukraine to produce the interceptors, although ramping up production will take years.
Ms. Loomer, who often talks to Mr. Trump, is emblematic of the shift in thinking on the war from part of Mr. Trump’s base.
Like others in the MAGA movement, she used to regularly espouse Russian talking points and oppose U.S. aid for Ukraine. But this year, Ms. Loomer said in an interview with The New York Times, she started questioning her beliefs, describing a “woke right” of influential media figures including Tucker Carlson who had swallowed Russian propaganda on Ukraine and were undermining American national security.
Last week, she made a surprise visit to Ukraine, traveling about 35 hours from her home in Florida to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. On Thursday, Ms. Loomer interviewed Mr. Zelensky in a garden near the presidential residence, acknowledging that she felt a moral obligation to correct the record.
Ms. Loomer, who said she had repeatedly gone to bomb shelters during air raid sirens, said on Saturday that she had called Mr. Trump twice from Ukraine.
“He said, ‘Oh, tell Zelensky I said hello,’” Ms. Loomer recounted as her team drove from the eastern city of Kharkiv to Kyiv, stopping at military checkpoints and to film a video at a bombed-out gas station.
“And then, you know, I knew that Zelensky would be at the White House next week, and Zelensky had nothing but nice things to say,” Ms. Loomer added, noting that she intended to spend another week in Ukraine visiting factories and military sites.
After she posted a preview of her interview with Mr. Zelensky online, Mr. Trump shared it on his social media site. “Very good!!!” he said.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
While Ms. Loomer says Mr. Trump likes both Mr. Zelensky and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, she also says Mr. Trump realizes Mr. Putin is the problem.
“I think the tide is really changing,” she said. She added later in the interview, “I really honestly do believe that Ukraine, over time, could end up being one of our greatest allies.
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