Zelenskyy meets Trump in Washington, warns Russia may deploy 30,000 North Korean troops

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Zelenskyy Visits Washington Amid Rising Tensions with North Korea and Iran

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Washington, D.C., to meet with President Donald Trump. The visit comes as Zelenskyy warns that Russia is preparing to deploy 30,000 North Korean troops into the war.

"This is a threat not only to Ukraine. Russia is helping North Korea learn how to wage war, improve its weapons and gain real combat experience in using them," Zelenskyy said this past week.

Despite past tensions, Trump appears surprisingly amenable to the meeting. Zelenskyy is also in Washington to honor Ukraine defender Lindsey Graham, who died earlier this month. Graham's funeral will be held this week.

Geopolitical Shifts and the Iran Connection

"The relationship with Iran is still very much fragile," Harry Nedelcu, a senior director at Rasmussen Global, told The New York Times. "Ukraine comes to the forefront."

Nedelcu noted that the meeting offers both leaders a chance to validate each other's diplomatic efforts:

"But most importantly for both men, this is a moment where they could validate each other's diplomatic efforts and leverage each other. Trump could leverage Zelensky, and Zelensky could help him validate his own administration at a time when domestically, Trump is not doing very well."

Trump has struggled to secure a durable ceasefire with Iran, and conflict continues to flare. Analysts suggest Trump may be shifting focus to Ukraine in an attempt to secure a political win.

Key Developments

• Caspian Sea Incident: On Saturday, Ukraine struck an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, claiming it was carrying military supplies from Iran to Russia.
• Drone Warfare: Iran has supplied Russia with long-range attack drones used to ravage Ukraine.
• Satellite Surveillance: Over the weekend, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine's intelligence services had evidence that Russia was providing Iran with satellite surveillance of Gulf states and U.S. military bases in the region, helping Tehran plan and carry out attacks.

Trump to Meet Netanyahu

President Trump is also scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week, according to Politico. The meeting has drawn sharp criticism from anti-Netanyahu figures within Trump's orbit.

"Netanyahu has had twice as many visits to the White House in 18 months as Churchill had in all of World War II—with every one of them a disaster for America First," Steve Bannon told Politico.

More details on these meetings are expected over the course of the week.

Scenes from New York: Grocery Store Plan

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has proposed that city-owned grocery stores offer a 30 percent discount on produce, meat, and certain kitchen staples. Critics question whether the plan amounts to a soup kitchen or a grocery store, and note that the proposal—limited to one store per borough—is unlikely to make a meaningful difference.

"It's not clear what exactly he wants to do other than maximum populism," the report notes. "This is a stunt."

Quick Hits

• Cuba: The New York Times reports that "President Trump has tried to strangle Cuba by blocking its oil imports. But six months later, the island is finding ways to endure." The report notes that communism remains the island's primary challenge.
• Federal Reserve: The Wall Street Journal reports that the Fed meets this week with an unusually uncertain outcome. Many expect rates to hold steady, but a renewed inflation scare has put a surprise increase in play. Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, who served from 2006 to 2011, has long argued that the Fed's forecasts breed conformity and its data is stale. His recent silence on policy direction is generating its own tension.
• Wisconsin Governor Race: Francesca Hong, a bartender and Democratic Socialist, is leading a crowded field of candidates for Wisconsin governor, according to a recent Marquette Law School poll. Her platform includes proposals similar to Mamdani's, as well as a 32-hour workweek.
• AI Spending: OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, is nearing a deal to lease a $500 billion data center in Ohio, supported by $2 billion in financing. The deal highlights the staggering scale of spending required to keep up in the global AI race.