Graham’s funeral brings diplomatic flurry with Zelensky, Netanyahu meetings
by Jared Gans - 07/28/26 7:04 AM ET
The funeral of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is set to draw world leaders to Washington on Tuesday as President Trump and Congress weigh next steps in the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Memorial services for the longtime senator, who died suddenly earlier this month at age 71, will take place over two days, starting on Tuesday in the nation’s capital and continuing Wednesday in his home state, South Carolina.
Trump is expected to deliver remarks for his longtime ally and golfing buddy at the Tuesday ceremony, which will also be attended by congressional and military leaders.
The most noteworthy attendees may be the leaders of two key U.S. allies that Graham consistently trumpeted — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Both have confirmed their attendance and plan to meet with Trump at the White House while they’re in the U.S. All 100 senators have been invited to a meeting with Zelensky at the Capitol in the evening.
Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump will be his first in Washington since the breakout of the Iran war in February. The prime minister last met with the president just a few weeks before the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes started the months-long war that has shaken up the Middle East and roiled global energy markets.
This will be an opportunity for Trump and Netanyahu to confer at a key moment in the conflict as the U.S. has paused its strikes on Iran after nearly two straight weeks of attacks. Previous efforts at reaching a peaceful resolution have fallen apart, most recently over Iran’s intransigence over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and Oman are negotiating on routes that vessels can use to pass through the strait, but it’s unclear whether the talks will lead to any breakthrough.
Netanyahu has been among the biggest supporters of military action against Iran, which he views as an existential threat against Israel. He said in a post on the social platform X on Monday that Iran will be at the “forefront” of his discussions with Trump.
“Our goal is clear: to safeguard Israel’s security, strengthen its power, and expand the circle of peace around us. I am embarking on this mission out of a deep commitment to ensure the security, strength, and future of the State of Israel,” he said.
Netanyahu praised Graham following the senator’s death for being a staunch advocate for Israel.
Zelensky’s visit comes as Ukraine has seized the momentum against Russian forces in the years-long war, striking at energy and economic targets deep inside Russia. A White House official confirmed to CNBC that Trump plans to discuss with Zelensky new peace proposals to end the war.
The trip also comes as the Senate is set to consider a bill to impose harsher sanctions against Russia and its trading partners in response to the continued offensive against Ukraine. Graham was an author of the sanctions bill.
Zelensky was one of the last people to see Graham before his death, as the two met in Kyiv on July 10, one day before he died.
https://thehill.com/newsletters/morning-report/5993428-lindsey-graham-funeral-donald-trump-benjamin-netanyahu-volodymyr-zelensky-meetings-dc/
