President Trump is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit on Wednesday — the day after he castigated Russian leader Vladimir Putin for offering to “help” with Iran.
“Yeah, probably I’ll see him,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One Tuesday, en route to the Netherlands for the gathering of leaders of the transatlantic alliance.
White House and Ukrainian officials are reportedly finalizing the details of the meeting, which is being planned for the early afternoon on the sidelines of the two-day summit in The Hague, according to multiple outlets.
The sitdown would mark the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Zelensky since April, when the two huddled at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City during Pope Francis’ funeral.
That meeting was their first since the infamous Oval Office blowup on Feb. 28, which led to Zelensky leaving Washington without a minerals deal.
The Ukrainian president missed a chance for face time with Trump at last week’s G7 summit in Canada, having arrived after the commander in chief departed the gathering early to deal with the Iran-Israel conflict.
When asked what he would say to Zelensky at the NATO summit, Trump responded: “I’ll say, ‘How you doing?’ He’s in a tough situation. Should have never been there.”
The president went on to chide Russian President Vladimir Putin for offering to “help” with Iran as his own three-year war with Ukraine continues.
“As you know, Vladimir called me up. He said, ‘Can I help you with Iran?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t need help with Iran. I need help with you,’” Trump told reporters.
The Kremlin has long aligned itself with the theocratic regime in Tehran, and received support from Iran in its war against Ukraine, particularly through the supply of drone technology.
“I hope we’re going to be getting a deal,” Trump said of the state of Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations. “It’s a shame. Six thousand soldiers died last week. More, 6,500 soldiers died last week, Russia-Ukraine. A war that would have never happened if I was president.”
Trump and Zelensky are expected to discuss Ukraine’s purchase of a defense package, including air defense systems, and potential sanctions against Russia and a price cap on oil, if they meet, Ukrainian sources told AFP.
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