Asger Risom
As war rages in Ukraine and Western unity strains under pressure, Trump and Zelensky are set to meet face-to-face at the NATO summit. Here’s what’s at stake.
At a time when Ukraine’s survival hinges on foreign support and the transatlantic alliance wrestles with internal divisions, a pivotal meeting is set to unfold in The Hague.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are scheduled for a bilateral discussion that could shape the trajectory of the war—and the future of U.S.-Ukraine relations.
A High-Stakes Encounter in The Hague
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday during the NATO summit in The Hague.
Scheduled for early afternoon, the bilateral talks come amid a tense backdrop: escalating Russian aggression, American aggression in the Middle East, wavering Western unity, and Trump’s history of skepticism toward continued military aid to Ukraine.
According to an unnamed Ukrainian presidential official cited by Digi24, the agenda will focus on strengthening sanctions against Russia and securing American-made weaponry.
Ukraine reportedly seeks to lower the Western price cap on Russian oil to $30 per barrel, down from the current $60, a move aimed at cutting off Moscow’s war funds.
Diverging Histories, Urgent Needs
Zelensky and Trump have had a rocky relationship, strained further by Trump’s earlier refusal to approve military aid and his more conciliatory stance toward Moscow.
Despite previous tensions, Kyiv is pressing for an urgent weapons deal, particularly for additional air defense systems such as the Patriot, as Russian bombardments continue to pound Ukrainian cities.
While the Biden administration backed Ukraine with robust military packages, Trump’s return to power has left Kyiv in limbo.
Trump has publicly questioned the scale of U.S. support for Ukraine and skipped a planned G7 meeting with Zelensky in June.
A Meeting of the Century
This week’s meeting will be their first significant sit-down since a contentious Oval Office exchange earlier this year.
Though brief encounters have occurred since—including at Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome—this summit marks a pivotal moment.
Zelensky is not participating in NATO’s main leaders’ meeting but will attend a leaders’ dinner hosted by the Dutch king.
His meeting with Trump may help determine whether the U.S. continues to serve as Ukraine’s primary military lifeline—or if Kyiv must recalibrate its diplomatic strategy entirely.