Trump to meet Zelenskiy and al-Sharaa at NATO summit in Turkey

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is set to hold bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey. A senior US official confirmed the engagements on Sunday.

The high-level summit begins on Tuesday as the United States steps up efforts to help end the long-running war in Ukraine. Trump’s schedule starts with a meeting with the host, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, followed by meetings with other regional leaders and a White House press briefing.

Urgency to end Ukraine conflict

A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday will focus on efforts to end the war.

The official said the US believes the fighting has reached a stalemate, with neither side making significant gains in recent months, adding that Trump feels an urgent need to help bring the conflict to an end.

Before the summit, Trump also held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss possible paths to peace and is expected to speak with him again after meeting Zelenskyy.

Calls for higher defence spending

Beyond the Ukraine crisis, Trump is expected to take a firm stance on burden-sharing within the alliance, delivering a direct in-person message urging European allies to drastically increase their defense spending.

While the White House teased the announcement of multi-billion-dollar defense deals during the summit, specifics remain under wraps.

European diplomats expressed cautious optimism that Trump’s strong personal rapport with Erdogan and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte would ensure a smooth summit.

However, underlying anxieties persist due to lingering transatlantic friction over the US-led war against Iran, coupled with Trump’s frequent public grievances that European allies have not provided sufficient support to the US-Israeli coalition.