WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump met Polish President Andrzej Duda and Argentine President Javier Milei on the sidelines of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, according to the White House.

The White House shared photos of Trump’s closed-door meeting with Duda on X, stating the two leaders reaffirmed the "close alliance" between the US and Poland.

Trump commended Duda for Poland’s increased defense spending, it added.

During his CPAC speech, Trump noted Duda’s presence, calling him “a fantastic man and a great friend.”

The meeting took place amid escalating tensions between Washington and Kyiv following US-Russia talks in the Saudi capital on Tuesday, which excluded Ukraine.

The US proposed a deal granting access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals and other natural resources, but Kyiv rejected it over the absence of security guarantees. However, speaking at CPAC on Saturday, Trump claimed that the US is "pretty close to a deal" with Ukraine.

On Friday, Duda announced on X that he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, describing their discussion as a “candid conversation” following recent meetings with Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, Gen Keith Kellogg.

Trump also met Milei and invited him to visit the White House in the "coming months," according to the executive mansion.