Trump to meet Zelenskyy at NATO summit in Ankara as US pushes for end to Ukraine war

Summit diplomacy

US President Donald Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday afternoon on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, a White House spokesperson confirmed. The two-day summit begins Tuesday in the Turkish capital. The meeting follows phone calls Trump held on Saturday with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy described his call with Trump as "very good," saying they discussed the front line and diplomatic efforts.

Urgency on Ukraine

A senior US official told reporters that neither side is making significant military progress, while costs mount and attacks strike deep into each other's territory.

The president therefore feels a real sense of urgency to try to bring this to an end.

The official expressed confidence that progress could be made when Trump and Zelenskyy meet, and said Trump would also be in touch with Putin. US mediation between Russia and Ukraine had taken a back seat recently due to America's own conflict with Iran.

Other bilateral meetings

Trump's schedule in Ankara includes a Tuesday evening meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On Wednesday, he will also sit down with Syrian transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The al-Sharaa meeting comes amid the Israel-Hezbollah conflict; Trump has previously suggested Syria could "take care of Hezbollah" militarily in Lebanon. Al-Sharaa rejected that idea in June, saying he seeks economic channels between Lebanon and Syria, not military ones.

NATO aid and defense spending

Ahead of the summit, representatives of the 32 NATO allies finalized a new multi-billion-dollar military aid pledge for Ukraine, according to dpa. Trump is also expected to press allies to increase their defense spending. He called German defense expenditures "ridiculous" on Truth Social last Thursday and criticized other allies including the UK and Italy.

Zelenskyy's warning

Zelenskyy warned on Facebook of massive Russian attacks before the summit, citing Ukrainian intelligence.

This is entirely in Putin's style - immediately after American Independence Day and before the NATO summit in Ankara.

He said Russia wants to "cause even more havoc and kill people." The NATO leaders gather as the war grinds on with no decisive shift on the battlefield.

1. Jul 4, 2026Trump holds phone calls with Putin and Zelenskyy.
2. Jul 5, 2026Zelenskyy warns of massive Russian attacks before the NATO summit.
3. Jul 7, 2026NATO summit begins in Ankara; Trump meets Erdogan in the evening.
4. Jul 8, 2026Trump meets Zelenskyy and al-Sharaa; departs for Washington in the evening.