Trump to Meet Zelenskiy at NATO Summit in Turkey to Push Ukraine Peace Efforts

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during this week's NATO summit in Turkey as part of a renewed diplomatic effort to end the war in Ukraine, according to a senior U.S. official.

Trump is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday for the alliance's high-profile gathering. His first bilateral meeting will be with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the host of this year's NATO summit. The White House also confirmed that Trump will hold talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa before addressing reporters in a scheduled press conference.

A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump and Zelenskiy will meet on Wednesday to discuss potential pathways toward ending the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The meeting is expected to focus on diplomatic options as fighting on the ground has largely reached a stalemate.

"The battlefield has clearly frozen over the last couple of months, and neither side is making significant progress," the official said, adding that Trump believes there is an urgent need to pursue a negotiated resolution to the war.

The Trump administration views the current military situation as an opportunity to intensify diplomatic engagement and encourage renewed efforts toward a ceasefire or broader peace agreement.

In addition to Ukraine, Trump is expected to press NATO member states to boost their defense spending, a long-standing priority of his administration. The issue is expected to be a central topic throughout the summit as allies discuss regional security, military readiness, and ongoing geopolitical challenges.

The NATO summit in Turkey is expected to bring together leaders from across the alliance to address the Ukraine war, collective defense commitments, Middle East developments, and broader global security concerns, with Trump's meetings likely to attract significant international attention.