Trump, Zelenskyy to meet at NATO summit in Ankara

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are set to hold a personal meeting next week during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. A U.S. government spokesperson announced the meeting, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

The summit, beginning Tuesday, takes place as Ukraine continues to resist Russian aggression. A senior U.S. official described the conflict as a stalemate with immense costs, noting cross-border attacks from both sides. This official indicated that Trump feels a "real sense of urgency" to resolve the situation and expressed confidence in progress from the leaders' discussion. The official also expects Trump to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

U.S. mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine have been ongoing, though they recently took a backseat due to U.S. focus on its conflict with Iran. Trump and Zelenskyy spoke by phone on Saturday, with Zelenskyy reporting a "very good conversation" about the front lines and diplomatic efforts, suggesting a "prospect of ending this war." He emphasized the crucial role of U.S. determination.

Zelenskyy anticipates intensified Russian attacks immediately before the NATO summit, particularly after the U.S. Independence Day and before the Ankara gathering. He cited Ukrainian intelligence and characterized Russia's actions as typical of Putin, aiming to cause "more havoc and kill people."

Meanwhile, Ukraine is reportedly set to receive new pledges of multi-billion dollar military aid at the summit. Representatives from the 32 NATO member states reportedly agreed on this during final consultations for the summit declaration.