Zelensky didn’t raise Russia’s help for Iran in Trump meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not share with President Trump evidence that Russia is aiding Iran in its attacks against U.S. troops when the two met earlier this week, Ukraine’s envoy to the U.S. told reporters Thursday. 

Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., said Ukraine has communicated that information “through other channels.”

“This issue didn’t come up, but not because somebody didn’t want to raise it, but the meeting was filled with other topics,” she said, speaking in Washington, D.C., at the the Monitor Breakfast, a discussion hosted by The Christian Science Monitor. 

“But this information was provided through other channels.”

Trump has downplayed Russia’s assistance to Iran throughout the five-month war, earlier praising Russian President Vladimir Putin as being “neutral.” 

Zelensky, ahead of his trip to Washington this week to attend the memorial service for former Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), said he instructed his intelligence services to provide partners information on how Russia is sharing satellite intelligence with Iran to strike U.S. bases — in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait.

Eighteen U.S. troops have been killed since the war began. On July 17, three troops were killed by an Iranian attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. 

When asked about Zelensky’s claims of Russian support for Iran, Trump told reporters Monday that “it hasn’t had much impact.”  

“We’ll find out if that’s true. I’ll ask Putin about it. We’ll find out. It hasn’t........

© The Hill