Trump Schedules Talks with Zelenskyy and Syrian Leader During NATO Summit

US President Donald Trump is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Wednesday during the NATO summit in Ankara , as his administration steps up diplomatic efforts on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East .

The White House said Trump will also hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday before concluding the summit with a press conference. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly confirmed the schedule.

The meeting with Zelenskyy comes as the Russia-Ukraine war enters its fifth year. Discussions are expected to focus on the battlefield situation and possible pathways to end the conflict. A senior US official said Trump is eager to push for a negotiated settlement and is expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin after meeting Zelenskyy.

Ahead of the summit, both Zelenskyy and Putin held separate phone calls with Trump to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence . Zelenskyy said they discussed developments on the front lines and the prospects for ending the war, while the Kremlin said Trump reiterated his willingness to help achieve a ceasefire and pursue a peaceful resolution.

Trump is also scheduled to meet Ahmad al-Sharaa , though the White House has not disclosed the agenda. The talks come amid evolving US engagement with Syria and wider regional diplomacy. Trump has recently suggested Syria should confront Hezbollah , but al-Sharaa has rejected the idea, saying his government has no interest in such a conflict.

The meetings highlight the NATO summit's expanding diplomatic agenda, with discussions expected to address both the war in Ukraine and shifting geopolitical dynamics across the Middle East.