WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump will meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of this week's NATO summit in Ankara, the White House announced on July 5, as Washington seeks to revive stalled diplomacy over Russia's war while pressing Europe to take greater responsibility for the continent's defense.
The announcement came a day after Trump held separate telephone conversations with Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the administration's effort to position itself as the key mediator in a conflict that has entered its fifth year with no breakthrough in peace efforts.
Following the call, Zelenskyy said he had briefed Trump on the battlefield situation and that the two leaders agreed to continue discussions during the NATO summit.
"There is a real prospect to put an end to this war, and America's resolve is decisive," Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Zelenskyy also warned that intelligence suggests Russia is preparing yet another massive air campaign against Ukraine, following the deadly barrage on the night of July 1–2.
"This is in the spirit of Putin -- right after America's Independence Day and before the NATO summit in Ankara. Russia wants to add to the evil and kill people," Zelenskyy said in his video statement on July 5.
The Kremlin said Trump's roughly 90-minute conversation with Putin included Trump's reiteration of his readiness to continue mediation efforts, while Putin repeated Moscow's position that any settlement must take account of Russia's "fundamental approach" to resolving the conflict.
The calls come as months of US-led diplomacy have failed to narrow the gap between Kyiv and Moscow. Russia continues to insist on control of the occupied parts of Ukraine's east, while Kyiv has rejected territorial concessions.
White House Says Battlefield Has Largely Stalled
White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly confirmed that Trump would meet Zelenskyy on July 8.
US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet on the sidelines of NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 25, 2025.
During a background briefing, senior US officials said the meeting would build on Trump's conversations with both Zelenskyy and Putin and reflect the administration's continuing effort to end the war.
"The battlefield has clearly frozen over the last couple of months, and neither side is making a lot of progress," one senior US official said.
The official said the continued fighting, including long-range strikes by both Russia and Ukraine, has reinforced Trump's determination to seek a negotiated settlement.
"There's tremendous death that's going on," the official said, adding that the president feels "a real sense of urgency" to stop the war.
"Both sides have articulated...that President Trump plays a unique role in his ability to try to mediate this," the official added.
Responding to questions about recent Ukrainian advances and drone strikes inside Russia, another senior official maintained that the overall military balance had changed little.
"It's a lot easier to play defense than it is to play offense," the official said.
“There are some small areas where Ukraine has made progress, there's some small areas where Russia's made progress, but the line of contact has been frozen over the last couple of months.”
"What the president supports is ending the war," the official added.
US Vice President JD Vance speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., in June, 2026.
The assessment echoed comments by Vice President JD Vance in an interview for The Sunday Times published on July 5, in which he argued Ukraine has been more effective wearing down Russian forces through defensive operations and long-range drone strikes than through large-scale offensives.
In recent months, Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian oil facilities, fuel depots, and military infrastructure deep inside Russia, seeking to increase pressure on Moscow even as fighting along much of the front has settled into a war of attrition.
Defense Spending To Dominate NATO Agenda
While Ukraine is expected to feature prominently in Trump's meetings, administration officials indicated the summit's central focus will be NATO burden-sharing.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker.
US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker said allies have committed nearly $139 billion in additional defense spending since last year's NATO summit, with roughly half expected to be spent on American-made weapons, munitions, and military equipment.
He praised Poland, the Nordic countries, the Baltic states, and Germany for increasing defense spending but said "many others are lagging behind."
“President Trump expects all allies to step up immediately," Whitaker said, adding they should reach NATO's five-percent defense spending benchmark "as soon as possible.”
Whitaker said the administration's objective remains shifting responsibility for Europe's conventional defense to European allies and Canada.
“We have responsibilities elsewhere in the world, as the world's only superpower," he said. "We need capable allies.”
He stressed that the US "remains a proud NATO member" but argued stronger European militaries would allow Washington to focus on security challenges beyond Europe.
Kelly described the administration's approach as "NATO 3.0," saying it aims to transform the alliance "from a model of dependency on the US to one of real burden sharing and self-reliance."
Asked what consequences allies could face if they fail to meet spending targets, senior officials said the immediate consequence would be strategic vulnerability.
"The consequences...are ultimately a less capable Europe and Canada, a more vulnerable strategic ally," the official said, adding that Trump would deliver his message directly to alliance leaders during the summit.
Troop Review Reflects Broader Strategic Shift
Senior US officials also confirmed that the Pentagon is reviewing US troop deployments and military bases across Europe, though they emphasized no decisions have been made.
Officials said the review is part of a broader strategy to rebalance US military resources while encouraging European allies to assume greater responsibility for regional defense.
A US soldier in Germany.
"There should be no surprise that we're doing a posture review," one senior US official said.
The official added that the review "very well may lead to us adjusting our posture because we're trying to shift burden to Europe."
"More capable allies in Europe will allow them to meet threats that exist in Europe that they're perfectly able to meet, and that will allow us to focus elsewhere," the official said.
Whitaker said the review reflects growing global demands on US forces.
“Our adversaries aren't waiting for us to be more capable," he said. "The strength of the alliance is what's going to deter and defend the alliance into the future.”
Defense Deals, Greenland Also Expected To Feature
Administration officials also predicted "billions of dollars" in defense-related announcements on the sidelines of the summit, including joint production agreements, new manufacturing facilities, and purchases of advanced US weapons systems.
“Our challenge is not orders," Whitaker said. "Our challenge continues to be the defense industrial base.”
Officials said US defense manufacturers currently have roughly $300 billion in back orders from European and Canadian allies.
Icebergs float in the water off Nuuk, Greenland.
Senior officials also defended Trump's longstanding proposal that the United States acquire Greenland, arguing that the Arctic island has become increasingly important to NATO's security because of growing naval activity in the region and its role in missile defense.
“There really is no disagreement amongst any NATO ally about the importance of the defense considerations of Greenland," one senior US official said. "It's about how to solve them.”
The official said the administration continues to believe US acquisition of Greenland would best address those security concerns, while acknowledging Washington is also discussing other possible arrangements with Denmark and Greenland.