Trump's fateful day – two meetings and a funeral in Washington
First Trump meets with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Then he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Then they will all go to the funeral.
Quick version
- Former Republican Senator Lindsey Graham will be buried today with world leaders such as Benjamin Netanyahu and Volodymyr Zelensky in attendance.
- US President Donald Trump is also planning meetings with Netanyahu and Zelensky to discuss issues related to the war in Iran and Ukraine's military support.
- Lindsey Graham was a strong advocate for Israel and Ukraine and his passing is being mourned by both Netanyahu and Zelensky, who are expected to attend the ceremony at the Capitol.
Tonight, former Republican Senator Lindsey Graham will be honored at a memorial service in Washington.
Two world leaders expected to attend are Benjamin Netanyahu and Volodymyr Zelensky, with whom US President Donald Trump is also set to have two separate meetings on the same day.
Tensions between Trump and Netanyahu
During the meeting, Trump and Netanyahu are expected to discuss the war in Iran, negotiations with Lebanon and the possibility of expanding the Abraham Accords, according to CNN.
It is Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's seventh visit to the United States since Trump's second stint in the White House. The last time they were seen was in February before the countries struck Iran. Benjamin Netanyahu is the world leader who has visited Trump the most times of all.
But the duo has had an increasingly strained relationship recently. During a phone call in early June, Trump called Netanyahu "crazy", something he himself confirmed.
- We have a little disagreement, but we are pretty close, Trump said on Monday.
Today's meeting has been Netanyahu working hard for several weeks, according to sources to CNN.
According to the same sources, Trump did not want to meet Netanyahu at all, and wants to see an end to the Iran war that was expected to end quickly. Trump's goal right now is to achieve a ceasefire in the war against Iran, but Netanyahu wants to continue the attacks.
Competing for attention
Ukrainian President Zelenskyj is also meeting Trump today, with a much better relationship than before. One reason for this is the Ukrainian successes in the war, according to the New York Times.
With the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyj hopes to secure more military and political support from the United States - with an extra eye on the Patriot air defense system.
Several sources tell The Hill that all one hundred US senators have been invited to a meeting with Zelenskyj today - at the same time as a proposal for expanded sanctions against Russia and their trading partners is to be considered in the Senate.
Republican Lindsey Graham - both a friend of Israel and Ukraine
The proposal was one of Senator Lindsay Graham's last major foreign policy initiatives. He was one of the Republican Party’s strongest advocates for support for Ukraine and died suddenly on June 11, the day after he returned from a visit to the country.
A ceremony for the senator will be held at the Capitol, where Netanyahu and Zelensky are expected to attend.
Netanyahu reportedly described Graham as a “dear friend.”
“Israel has lost one of its best friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” Netanyahu wrote on X after the senator’s death.
After Graham’s death, Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X:
“Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer. He visited Ukraine ten times during Russia’s full-scale invasion and stood by our people when they were needed most.”
Trump will meet with Zelensky at 3:30 p.m. and Netanyahu at 5 p.m., Swedish time.
The memorial ceremony for Lindsey Graham will begin at the Capitol at 4 p.m., followed by a memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral at 8 p.m., where the three world leaders are expected to attend.
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