▲ Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold back-to-back meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on the 28th local time.
The ongoing wars involving the U.S. directly or indirectly—namely the Iran war and the war in Ukraine—are expected to be the core agenda items for each meeting, drawing significant attention to what solutions President Trump will present.
According to U.S. media outlets including CNN on the 27th local time, a White House official stated that President Trump will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss the Iran war, progress in negotiations with Lebanon, and efforts to expand the Abraham Accords.
Regarding the Iran war, the U.S. and Iran engaged in consecutive military exchanges for 13 days starting from the 11th over the control of civilian merchant vessel navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, after which both sides entered a dialogue phase once again.
President Trump remarked on this day that "very friendly negotiations are currently underway" with Iran, expressing high prospects for an agreement.
However, he also threatened that if negotiations with Iran fail once again, "it will return to very strong military action."
Although Israel is a party that initiated this war alongside the United States, it has been sidelined from the peace negotiation phase between the U.S. and Iran and has shown friction with President Trump, who has not ruled out diplomatic solutions alongside military action.
In an interview with Fox News the previous day, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also maintained that stronger military action against Iran is necessary.
He stated that an end to the war is possible only when "the Iranian regime changes or is weakened enough to realize on its own that it must stop its nuclear program and change its course."
Ahead of the October general elections where his political fate is on the line, attention is focused on whether Prime Minister Netanyahu—who prefers to continue the war with Iran—can resolve tensions with President Trump, who wants to end the war as quickly as possible in preparation for the midterm elections.
President Trump told reporters on this day that "there are minor differences of opinion [with Netanyahu] but we are quite close," indicating that they still maintain close cooperation.
The meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy is also drawing keen interest.
Like Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Zelenskyy is visiting the United States to attend the funeral of former U.S. Federal Senator Lindsey Graham, during which he will meet with President Trump.
The late former Senator Graham was a prominent hawkish politician who maintained a hardline stance against Iran and Russia.
Former Senator Graham, who passed away suddenly on the 11th, had notably visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, to meet with President Zelenskyy as his final diplomatic schedule before his death.
Because of this, President Zelenskyy is expected to focus his visit on paying his respects by personally attending former Senator Graham's funeral while further strengthening sanctions against Russia and support and backing for Ukraine.
President Trump, who was lukewarm on sanctions against Russia and frequently criticized Ukraine, has recently shown a significant shift in attitude.
During his meeting with President Zelenskyy in Ankara, President Trump announced that he would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missiles.
Furthermore, he reportedly shifted his stance from opposition to support regarding the anti-Russia sanction bill that former Senator Graham had championed, in order to honor the dying wish of his closest confidant, former Senator Graham.
The bill, currently pending in the federal Senate, includes provisions not only placing sanctions on Russian crude oil and Russian financial institutions, but also imposing a 500% tariff on Russian products imported into the U.S. and up to a 100% tariff (secondary sanctions) on the top five importers of Russian crude oil and gas.
Following his meeting with President Trump and attendance at former Senator Graham's funeral, President Zelenskyy will visit the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to meet with senators.
(Photo: Getty Images, AP, Yonhap News)
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