Factual. Independent. Impartial.
Support AAP with a free or paid subscription

White House says Trump, Zelenskiy to meet in Washington

Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskiy look set to sit down in Washington in days. (AP PHOTO)

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy are scheduled to meet in Washington in the coming days, a White ‌House official says.

A Ukrainian source said Zelenskiy was interested in traveling to the United States but his team ‌was waiting for official confirmation of Trump's schedule from the White House.

The source added that Ukrainians and US officials ‌had been discussing a proposal for an air ceasefire to take to Russian officials, as part of a new round of peace proposals to try to end the war that began in 2022 with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Turkey NATO Summit
President Zelenskiy ‌reportedly said he would attend the funeral for US Senator Lindsey Graham. (AP PHOTO)

The source said Ukraine had approached Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past with offers of a ceasefire, which had been turned down. ‌

However, some officials ‌believe that ⁠pressure on Russia's economy from ongoing Ukrainian drone and missile strikes may soften Putin's ​stance.

Zelenskiy spoke on Wednesday with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the prospects for renewed peace talks with Russia, and said that Ukrainian and US officials could meet in the United States on Tuesday.

Acting Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara, writing on Telegram, said he and new Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi had met US Ambassador to NATO Matthew ⁠Whitaker on Friday in Kyiv and discussed different factors in ‌confronting Russia ​on the battlefield.

"We have a strong synergy and shared vision of the war with Commander Drapatyi: technological superiority, asymmetric solutions, ​and more opportunities ‌to destroy the enemy," Khmara said.

"We informed our partners about the situation on the front and Ukraine's steps ​to force Russia into a fair peace."

Earlier on Friday, right-wing activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer interviewed Zelenskiy and said he had told her he would likely be in the United States next week ​for ​a trip that would include a meeting with ​Trump.

Loomer, in a post on X, added that Zelenskiy ‌said he would attend the funeral for US Senator Lindsey Graham, who died earlier this month.

A memorial service for the Republican will be held on Tuesday in Washington, where Trump will make remarks ahead of a funeral in Graham's home state of South Carolina on Wednesday.

Graham was a major supporter of Ukraine, traveling there 10 times since ​the Russian invasion. He pushed for sanctions on Russia as well as US backing for Kyiv.

License this article

Sign up to read this article for free
Choose between a free or paid subscription to AAP News
Start reading
Already a member? Sign in here
Top stories on AAP right now