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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that he and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call covering the state of the front line in Ukraine's war with Russia and Kyiv's ongoing diplomatic efforts, as both leaders prepare to meet at next week's NATO summit in Türkiye.
Zelenskyy, posting on X, described the conversation as "very good" and used the occasion of the U.S. Fourth of July holiday to congratulate Trump and Americans on the 250th anniversary of independence. He expressed gratitude for American military and political support, saying he was thankful to "every American heart that cares about the future of Ukraine, Europe, and everyone around the world for whom freedom matters."
The Ukrainian leader signaled cautious optimism about the path to peace, saying there is "a real prospect to put an end to this war" and stressing that "America's resolve is decisive." He said both sides agreed to carry the discussions forward at the NATO summit in Ankara, scheduled for July 7-8.
The White House had not issued a statement on the call as of Saturday, and Trump had not publicly commented.
The NATO gathering in Ankara will bring together alliance leaders at a moment of sustained pressure on Ukraine's front lines, with Kyiv seeking continued Western military and financial backing. For Zelenskyy, the summit represents an opportunity to press Washington, the alliance's most powerful member, to maintain its commitment amid uncertainty over U.S. policy direction.
Türkiye, a NATO member that has maintained diplomatic relations with both Russia and Ukraine throughout the conflict, has previously hosted peace negotiations and prisoner exchanges between the two sides.
Trump has previously expressed a desire to broker a swift end to the conflict, though the terms and timeline of any agreement remain unclear.
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