According to reports, on July 28, just before the funeral of U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shook hands and had a brief conversation. This marked their first face-to-face interaction in nearly three years.
On July 28, Netanyahu (left) and Zelensky met before Senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral. Photo via foreign media.
Both leaders happened to be in Washington that day, separately meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
On July 28, Netanyahu (left) and Zelensky met before the funeral. Photo via foreign media.
According to reports, since January 2025, the two leaders had not even spoken by phone. Their last in-person meeting dates back to September 2023. There had been discussions about arranging a formal meeting in Washington, but that plan never materialized.