Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, as the wars in Ukraine and Iran increasingly intersect in military and geopolitical terms.
Zelenskyy’s visit comes as the US Senate is preparing to vote on a new package of tougher sanctions against Russia. If approved, the measures could increase pressure on Moscow by imposing a 100 percent tariff on goods imported by major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
The conflicts involving Iran and Ukraine have also begun to overlap in terms of military strategy and international politics. Ukraine recently attacked an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, saying the ship was carrying drones and other military equipment from Iran to Russia. Iran has threatened to retaliate.
During his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy is expected to seek additional US military support for Ukraine, particularly air-defence weapons, Patriot systems and cooperation involving drones. Relations between Trump and Zelenskyy have also improved in recent months as Ukraine continues its efforts to counter Russian advances.
The meeting comes as Trump has temporarily paused US bombing operations against Iran to give diplomacy a chance. This makes the meeting with Zelenskyy particularly significant, as Washington is now dealing with the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran at the same time.