Zelenskyy and Netanyahu meet with Trump as wars on Russia and Iran converge

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on July 28, 2026. Photo by - /GPO/AFP via Getty Images

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Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday in separate, closed-door working meetings.

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“Both meetings were positive and productive!” White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said on X.

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Referring to Trump as “our friend” in an X post, on July 27, Netanyahu wrote that their eighth meeting since Trump took office would focus on the war with Iran, with the goal of safeguarding Israel’s security, strengthening its power, and expanding the circle of peace.

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According to Reuters, Netanyahu wanted to talk to Trump about Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified facility buried deep underground near one of Iran’s principal nuclear sites. In an interview with Fox & Friends, Trump said he doesn’t “need Bibi (Netanyahu’s nickname) to tell me that. Bibi’s telling me that because he wants me to stay involved.”

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Netanyahu was expected to provide intelligence to Trump that Iran is building up its nuclear facilities ​at Pickaxe Mountain and is lying about wanting a peace deal, reported the ​New York Post on Monday, citing a source in Jerusalem.

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Trump announced Friday the pausing of U.S. airstrikes against Iran, a shift aimed at giving diplomacy a chance. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy’s case to bolster support for Ukraine has been boosted by a series of drone-strike successes inside Russia and one on an Iranian ship in Caspian Sea, reports CNBC.

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Zelenskyy’s closed-door meeting with Trump came as the U.S. Congress has made a renewed push to tighten sanctions on Moscow. The Senate is scheduled to vote Tuesday evening on legislation championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, targeting Russia and countries that continue to buy its energy exports.

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Both Netanyahu and Zelenskyy are attending Graham’s funeral on Tuesday. He was a staunch supporter of both countries and their respective war efforts.

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The intent of the bipartisan measure, reports CNBC, is to impose tariffs on goods from some of the largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas, such as China and India. It would also sanction Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, as well as political and military officials, financial institutions and major energy projects. After Graham’s funeral on Tuesday, Zelenskyy is expected to meet with senators involved in the legislative push.

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump posing for a photo during their meeting in Washington on July 28. Photo by HANDOUT /UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER

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On Saturday, Kyiv attacked an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea. Tehran said it resulted in the death of one Iranian sailor and injured several others. Iran has threatened retaliation, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying on social media that the attack “CANNOT GO UNANSWERED.”

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Zelenskyy said on X that Ukraine had “achieved very strong results with long‑range strikes in the Caspian Sea – including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship.” Russia has been using Iranian-designed drones in its war on Ukraine, reports CNBC. Zelensky said in March that more than 200 Ukrainian military experts had been sent to the Middle East to help defend allies against Iranian drones. Ukraine has also secured defence deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, all focused on countering Iranian missile and drone threats.