US President Donald Trump referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "President Putin" during a NATO conference in Ankara, although he quickly corrected himself.
During a joint appearance, Trump also mistook Iran for the "Islamic Republic of Japan" and announced an agreement that would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot defensive weapons.
Following discussions on Ukraine's defence requirements and the ongoing conflict with Russia, the two leaders made a verbal blunder in an attempt to demonstrate unity.
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The gaffe happened when Trump was introducing Zelensky to the media following their bilateral meeting. When Trump gestured to the president of Ukraine, he exclaimed, "President Putin," but then stopped and corrected himself to say, "President Zelensky." Given the lengthy and frequently complex relationship between the two leaders and Trump's frequent encounters with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the comment quickly attracted notice.
Confused Trump refers to President Zelensky, sitting next to him, as “President Putin.” https://t.co/0FZDPEEw41 pic.twitter.com/dfJqQZbBok
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) July 8, 2026
However, compared to their previous public confrontations, the meeting between Trump and Zelensky was perceived as being noticeably warmer, despite the minor misunderstanding.
The two talked about stepping up military cooperation, bolstering Ukraine's air defences, and pressuring Russia to engage in talks to put an end to the conflict, which has been going on for more than four years. Trump stated that the US was willing to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air defence systems, which would greatly strengthen Kyiv's defences against ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks.
Following the meeting, Trump expressed optimism about the likelihood of a war ending, stating that he thought both Putin and Zelensky wanted to come to an agreement.
He claimed to have had a recent conversation with Putin and anticipated carrying on with diplomatic relations after speaking with the Ukrainian leader. Trump expressed his hope that a peace deal might be reached "hopefully soon," but he also acknowledged that there were still major challenges.
Zelensky expressed gratitude to the United States for its ongoing assistance and reaffirmed Ukraine's pressing need for more air defence capabilities as Russia escalates its drone and missile attacks throughout the nation.
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Trump misidentified Iran as the "Islamic Republic of Japan" earlier in the same meeting, saying, "The Islamic Republic of Japan fired 111 missiles against us. Over the course of an hour or so, they were fired at the aircraft carrier."
The US President stated, "There were 111 missiles headed for a very expensive ship, and every single one of those missiles was knocked down, mostly by patriots, but also by other means."
“The Islamic Republic of Japan”
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) July 8, 2026
25th Amendment now! pic.twitter.com/XD5CWmIn5X
After the US launched "powerful" strikes on Iranian military sites in retaliation for attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump labelled the Iranian leadership "sick" and said that the truce and the Memorandum of Understanding with Tehran were ended.
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