Zelensky and Netanyahu meet Trump as wars in Ukraine and Iran drag on

July 29, 2026

President Donald Trump held separate meetings at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, both of whom were in Washington attending Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral. Zelensky focused his visit on securing licenses for Ukraine to domestically produce Patriot interceptor missiles, which would help defend against increasing Russian aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities. According to Zelensky, Trump agreed to provide these production licenses, and the Ukrainian leader also met with Lockheed Martin executives to discuss joint production capabilities.

Who is affected

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people/military
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
US President Donald Trump
Lockheed Martin (US weapons manufacturer)
US Senate lawmakers
Russia (target of proposed sanctions)
Iran (subject of US-Israel discussions)

What action is being taken

Zelensky is meeting with Trump, Lockheed Martin executives, and US senators
Ukrainian teams are working with Lockheed Martin on specific solutions for joint production
The US Senate is voting to advance a sanctions bill targeting Russia
Netanyahu is meeting with Trump to discuss Iran-related issues

Why it matters

This matters because Ukraine desperately needs advanced air defense systems like Patriots to protect its cities from escalating Russian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Domestic production licenses would not only strengthen Ukraine's military capabilities but also boost Zelensky's domestic approval ratings following recent protests. The Patriot system is one of the few defense systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, and Ukraine has stated it needs 25 such systems. Additionally, the ongoing discussions reflect broader geopolitical tensions involving US relations with both Ukraine and Israel during active conflicts.

What's next

Ukrainian and Lockheed Martin teams will work on moving to joint Patriot production as quickly as possible
If the Senate gives final approval to the Russia sanctions bill, it will move to the House of Representatives (currently in recess until September)
Ukraine needs to determine where it can produce Patriot systems away from Russian surveillance

Read full article from source: BBC