Overview
- Over the weekend of July 4, President Trump spoke separately with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky about the war in Ukraine, and both leaders reported substantive discussions.
- The White House confirmed Trump will hold bilateral meetings with Zelensky and Syrian President Ahmad al‑Chareh at the NATO summit in Ankara and a senior U.S. official said he will also meet Putin.
- The Kremlin said the Putin–Trump call addressed a possible settlement in Ukraine and noted Trump’s upcoming NATO visit, while Zelensky called his talk with Trump "very fruitful" and stressed U.S. determination is crucial.
- European leaders plan to announce large new defence contracts and roughly €40 billion in military aid for Ukraine in 2026 to show increased burden‑sharing and to try to temper Trump’s criticisms.
- Allies remain uneasy about a U.S. re‑examination of forces in Europe announced in mid‑June and about contested battlefield claims such as Kostyantynivka, which Kyiv denies, making summit diplomacy fragile.