Senator Dick Durbin met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 8 during the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, in a move aimed at reinforcing U.S. support for its European allies amid fluctuating statements from President Donald Trump regarding transatlantic relations. Durbin’s visit, part of a bipartisan congressional delegation, focused on reaffirming congressional backing for NATO amid ongoing security challenges in Europe.
During their meeting, Zelenskyy outlined a detailed strategy to counter Russian aggression, emphasizing the need for continued military and economic assistance from the United States and NATO members. “He needs the help of the United States and the NATO allies to make it work,” Durbin said, describing the plan as “comprehensive” and “incredible.” President Trump also met with Zelenskyy and discussed the possibility of enabling Ukraine to produce its own Patriot missile defense systems, indicating increased U.S. involvement in supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities.
Trump remarked on leveraging U.S. influence over defense contractors that manufacture systems like the Patriot missiles and Tomahawks, suggesting this could strengthen Ukraine's military position. Durbin described the summit as productive for restoring cooperation with NATO, noting significant progress in communication between U.S. officials and their allies compared to the past year and a half. “It’s clear that this alliance is important for the future peace of the world, and certainly important to stop Vladimir Putin from his aggression in Ukraine,” Durbin said.
In addition to Ukraine-related discussions, the summit featured talks on defense spending within NATO. Senator Mike Rounds, a member of the congressional delegation, praised President Trump's advocacy for increased financial contributions from NATO countries. Durbin, while critical of some of Trump’s rhetoric, acknowledged this push for a more equitable sharing of defense costs.
The summit also touched on the potential sale of American F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, which currently faces restrictions due to its deployment of Russian-made air defense systems. Trump expressed willingness to consider the sale, a stance that Durbin found cautiously open but contingent on thorough review to prevent sensitive technology compromises. “We want to make sure that the technology that we pay purely to create is not compromised,” Durbin said.
Following the NATO meetings in Turkey, Durbin departed for Budapest, Hungary, to engage in further discussions on bilateral cooperation and regional security challenges. The congressional delegation accompanying Durbin included Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Lindsey Graham, Chris Coons, and Representative Mike Turner, reflecting broad bipartisan involvement in the U.S. diplomatic efforts at the summit.