Trump Meets With Ukraine, Israel Leaders Amid Broadening Conflicts

WASHINGTON — President Trump hosted nan leaders of Ukraine and Israel — 2 nations astatine warfare — astatine nan White House connected Tuesday, arsenic Washington’s domiciled successful some conflicts reaches a captious stage.

Trump’s meetings pinch Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came arsenic nan wars successful Ukraine and Iran person precocious expanded and overlapped successful their footprint.

Over nan weekend, Ukraine struck an Iranian cargo ship successful nan Caspian Sea, an onslaught condemned by Iranian leaders, who are dealing pinch their ain uncertainty pinch a broadening warfare pinch nan United States and Israel.

Both meetings took spot successful nan Oval Office without nan beingness of reporters, and while fewer specifications were disclosed astir nan discussion, nan White House described nan sessions arsenic “positive and productive.”

Yet location were signs of discord up of Netanyahu’s visit, his eighth during Trump’s 2nd word and nan first since nan commencement of nan U.S.-Israel warfare connected Iran connected Feb. 28.

In an question and reply pinch Fox News connected Tuesday morning, Trump was asked astir reports that Netanyahu planned to coming him pinch intelligence astir caller activity astatine Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground atomic tract successful Iran.

“Well, I don’t request Bibi to show maine that. Bibi is telling maine that because he wants maine to enactment involved,” Trump said, utilizing Netanyahu’s nickname. “We cognize precisely what is going on.”

Trump seemed disappointment that Netanyahu was putting retired that accusation up of nan meeting, but added that nan United States would “take retired Pickaxe if we don’t make a deal.” Netanyahu besides came into nan gathering pinch Trump arsenic he pursues campaigns successful Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, each pinch nan backdrop of intensifying unrest crossed nan Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Following nan meeting, however, Netanyahu issued a video connection insisting nan 2 had an “excellent” session.

“It was 1 of nan champion conversations I’ve had pinch our friend, U.S. President Trump,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel and nan U.S. were gathering “with afloat cooperation, pinch communal support, pinch knowing connected nan associated extremity that Iran won’t person atomic weapons, and besides different goals.”

With Zelensky, location were less signs of strain, showing improved relations betwixt nan 2 leaders, astatine slightest compared pinch their first gathering past year, which devolved into a shouting match successful nan Oval Office successful beforehand of tv cameras.

In a societal media post, Zelensky described his gathering pinch Trump arsenic “good,” and thanked him for moving pinch him to “protect nan lives of Ukrainians and beforehand peace.”

Zelensky said nan 2 leaders discussed Trump’s promise to let Kyiv to nutrient U.S. Patriot aerial defense missiles, which are captious successful its subject efforts against Russia.

“We besides said astir diplomacy,” Zelensky said successful an evident reference to Trump’s liking successful helping Ukraine and Russia scope a bid deal.

Trump’s narration pinch Zelensky has shown signs of betterment since nan commencement of nan Iran war, arsenic Ukraine has helped Americans pinch drone exertion to usage successful nan Middle East conflict.

Following nan meetings, each 3 men attended nan funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham, nan South Carolina Republican who up until his decease connected July 11 was a staunch protagonist of some Ukraine and Israel.

Zelensky was besides scheduled to meet pinch a group of senators astatine nan U.S. Capitol connected Tuesday evening to talk astir authorities that would enforce harsher sanctions connected Russia and its trading partners. Graham was an writer of nan projected measure.

In caller days, Israeli settlers person ramped up attacks connected Palestinian towns and villages, vandalizing properties, commandeering homes and fields, and establishing settlements that are forbidden nether world law.

At nan aforesaid time, Israeli soldiers person intensified their incursions crossed nan West Bank, arresting much than 100 Palestinians and demolishing homes.

The escalation followed a conflict betwixt settlers and Palestinian residents Friday that turned lethal, sidesplitting 4 Palestinians and 2 Israelis successful what was considered nan deadliest azygous onslaught successful nan West Bank this year.

Israeli attacks person besides persisted successful Gaza contempt a ceasefire signed 9 months ago. On Tuesday, wellness authorities successful nan enclave said 22 Palestinians were injured successful Israeli strikes.

The emergence successful hostilities comes arsenic Israel continues to push nan United States to property connected pinch a conflict that experts opportunity carried governmental risks for nan Trump management pinch its supporters astatine location and world allies.

Last week, nan U.S. warfare escalated again as Iran-backed Houthis successful Yemen attacked 2 Saudi Arabian lipid tankers successful nan Red Sea, causing world lipid prices to surge. The improvement prompted fears of yet different captious power corridor being choked disconnected by nan Iran war.

As nan November elections approach, Trump has downplayed nan economical toll nan warfare has taken connected his supporters. On Monday, he told a crowd successful Michigan that if they ever mobility why nan United States is astatine war, it’s because “we’re not going to fto lunatics person a atomic weapon.”

Meanwhile, nan rhythm of claims and counterclaims by nan U.S. and Iran has continued.

On Tuesday, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, a spokesperson for nan unified bid of Iran’s equipped forces, warned immoderate state aliases institution accepting stiff Iranian costs arsenic compensation for damaged vessels — arsenic per Trump’s connection complete nan play — would beryllium struck.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei besides contradicted Trump’s assertions of ongoing discussions betwixt Iran and nan U.S. and that Tehran was asking for a meeting.

Negotiations pinch nan U.S. are “not successful our DNA,” Baghaei said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s onslaught connected an Iranian vessel has raised nan anticipation of a increasing footprint successful that war. Ukraine said nan vessel was carrying subject instrumentality betwixt Iran and Russia, but Iran condemned nan attack, pinch Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi slamming it arsenic a “violation done astatine Israel’s behest.”

Baghaei besides compared Zelensky to pre-World War I “anarchists.”

“There is nary guarantee that a melodramatic motion intended to pull attraction and asseverate one’s position successful nan world arena, wherever that position is not peculiarly strong, will stay constricted successful scope,” Baghaei said during a news convention successful Tehran connected Monday.

He added: “The consequences, some for Ukraine and for nan full region drawn into this conflict, could beryllium unpredictable.”

Ceballos reported from Washington and Bulos from Beirut.