Trump meets Zelenski and Netanyahu at Lindsey Graham funeral, discusses Patriot missiles and Iran war

State funeral for Lindsey Graham

President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gathered at Washington National Cathedral for the state funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11 at age 71 from a sudden aortic tear. Graham, a three-decade veteran of Congress and a foreign policy interventionist, was a steadfast ally of both Ukraine and Israel. His body had lain in honor at the Capitol Rotunda, where Vice President JD Vance and fellow lawmakers paid tribute before the transfer to the cathedral.

I assure you, he never saw a war he didn't like.

Trump eulogized Graham as an extreme hawk who believed America's destiny was to win and that his duty was to ensure its enemies lost. Zelenski, who had met Graham in Kyiv just a day before his death, offered condolences and called him "a true friend of Ukraine."

Zelenski presses for Patriot interceptors

In a private Oval Office meeting preceding the funeral, Trump and Zelenski discussed boosting Ukraine's air defenses. The Ukrainian leader pushed for licenses to produce Patriot missile interceptors, a commitment Trump had signaled earlier this month at the NATO summit in Ankara. Zelenski later posted on X that it was "a good meeting" and thanked Trump "for everything we do together to protect the lives of Ukrainians and advance towards peace."

The president and I discussed licenses for the production of Patriot interceptors and several other ideas that could help. We also talked about diplomacy; it is important that the diplomatic process is revitalized.

Secretaries of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Scott Bessent, and War Pete Hegseth also took part. The meeting marked a sharp turnaround from February 2025, when Trump berated Zelenski in the same room and told him he had no cards. A year and a half later, the relationship has warmed and U.S. backing has widened.

Ukraine's expanding role against Iran

Zelenski offered added strategic value to Washington. Ukrainian intelligence gathered evidence on Saturday that Russia was providing Iran with satellite surveillance of U.S. bases and Gulf allies. On the same day, Ukraine struck an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, its first direct action against Tehran in a five-month conflict that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28. The attack linked the two wars more tightly and demonstrated Kyiv's willingness to engage in the Iran theater.

Netanyahu and Trump: managing frayed ties

Netanyahu's separate Oval Office meeting was his eighth since Trump returned to office in January 2025, and the first at the White House since the two countries launched their joint campaign against Iran in February. The U.S. halted its bombing campaign last Friday to give diplomacy a chance, while Israel continued operations in Lebanon, complicating a fragile June ceasefire. Trump acknowledged "small differences" but said "we are quite close." Netanyahu stated they would discuss "all pending issues, including the situation in Iran and missile defense." Smiling photographs from the session projected a repaired rapport.

Two wars, one day of diplomacy

The dueling Oval Office sessions and the Graham funeral highlighted how intertwined the conflicts have become. With midterm elections approaching and Republican majorities under threat, Trump's management of both wars draws intense scrutiny. Ukraine seeks not only Patriot missiles but active U.S. diplomacy with Russia, while Israel demands sustained pressure on Iran. Graham's death removed one of Capitol Hill's most influential voices for robust intervention, leaving the future of American support in both theaters more uncertain.