White House says Trump, Zelenskiy to meet in Washington next week
Upcoming Meeting Between Trump and Zelenskiy
Official Confirmation and Scheduling
WASHINGTON/KYIV, July 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy are scheduled to meet in Washington on Tuesday, a White House official said on Friday.
A Ukrainian source said Zelenskiy was interested in traveling to the United States but his team was waiting for official confirmation of Trump's schedule from the White House.
Peace Proposals and Ceasefire Discussions
Efforts Toward Air Ceasefire
The source added that Ukrainians and U.S. officials had been discussing a proposal for an air ceasefire to take to Russian officials, as part of a new round of peace proposals to try to end the war that began in 2022 with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Previous Ceasefire Offers to Russia
The source said Ukraine had approached Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past with offers of a ceasefire, which had been turned down. However, some officials believe that pressure on Russia's economy from ongoing Ukrainian drone and missile strikes may soften Putin's stance.
Diplomatic Engagements and Related Events
Talks with U.S. Envoys
Zelenskiy spoke on Wednesday with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the prospects for renewed peace talks with Russia, and said that Ukrainian and U.S. officials could meet in the United States in the coming days.
Media Interviews and Travel Plans
Earlier on Friday, right-wing activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer interviewed Zelenskiy and said he had told her he would likely be in the United States next week for a trip that would include a meeting with Trump.
Attendance at Senator Lindsey Graham's Funeral
Loomer, in a post on X, added that Zelenskiy said he would attend the funeral for U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, who died earlier this month. A memorial service for the Republican lawmaker will be held on Tuesday in Washington, where Trump will make remarks ahead of a funeral in Graham's home state of South Carolina on Wednesday.
Lindsey Graham's Support for Ukraine
Graham was a major supporter of Ukraine, traveling there 10 times since the Russian invasion. He pushed for sanctions on Russia as well as U.S. backing for Kyiv.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Dan Flynn in Kyiv; Additional reporting by Akanksha Khushi in BengaluruEditing by Gareth Jones, David Ljunggren and Nia Williams)
