WSJ: Trump Urged Putin to End War, Praises Zelensky Ahead of Netanyahu Meeting

President Donald Trump will host two critical world leaders for separate meetings in Washington today, Tuesday. According to reports from N12's Asaf Rozentzweig, the President is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at 16:30 Jerusalem time, followed by a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at 18:00.

Shift in the Ukraine-Russia Dynamic

The Wall Street Journal reported overnight that Zelensky's standing with Trump has reached a high point, contrasting with their historically public friction. This shift is attributed to Ukraine's recent successes on the battlefield, aligning with the sentiment that "Trump loves winners."

Furthermore, the report indicates that in a recent phone call with Vladimir Putin, Trump explicitly stated his expectation for a near-term conclusion to the war. This development follows earlier unverified reports that Trump intended to discuss paths to ending the conflict with the Russian leader while maintaining bilateral ties with Kyiv.

The Israeli Context

The meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu follows a series of high-stakes interactions between the two leaders. As The Zioneer reported previously, Netanyahu traveled to Washington for his eighth meeting with Trump since the latter's second-term election, with the Iranian nuclear threat at the top of the agenda.

While Trump has previously expressed frustration with the pace of Israeli military operations—reportedly telling Netanyahu in June to "stop" certain demolitions—today's meeting occurs as Washington balances multiple global crises. The back-to-back scheduling of the Zelensky and Netanyahu meetings highlights the administration's focus on resolving major international conflicts simultaneously.