President Volodymyr Zelensky's workplace has confirmed plans for a high-stakes assembly with U.S. President Donald Trump on the upcoming G7 summit on June 17, in response to the Kyiv Unbiased journalist who attended a closed-door briefing with Zelensky on June 13.
"Each groups are working to make sure we meet," Zelensky mentioned.
The assembly would mark the third in-person encounter between the 2 leaders throughout Trump's second time period within the White Home. Their most up-to-date assembly happened on April 26 at St. Peter's Basilica within the Vatican, the place they spoke privately on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral. Each side described the assembly as productive and constructive, although particulars remained sparse.
Earlier in February, Zelensky met Trump and Vice President JD Vance within the White Home when the notorious tense Oval Workplace change erupted, with Trump criticizing Kyiv's perceived lack of gratitude for U.S. assist
Zelensky mentioned his precedence is to debate with Trump sanctions towards Russia, peace talks, weapons buy, and U.S.-Ukraine financial cooperation.
"America communicates with the EU on sanctions on the degree of senators and congressmen. However I need to increase this subject personally with President Trump," Zelensky mentioned.
"There are steps ahead we will take — however we’d like the political will of the U.S. president, if he desires."
He added that Ukraine has lengthy ready a "sturdy" weapons bundle to buy from Washington. "Solely on the presidential degree can we finalize it," Zelensky mentioned forward of the G7 summit.
Russian offensives in Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk oblasts
Zelensky mentioned that heavy preventing is ongoing alongside Ukraine's northeastern border. Russian forces have concentrated round 53,000 troops within the Sumy sector, pushing into a number of settlements reminiscent of Andriivka, Kindrativka, and Oleksiivka.
Based on the open-source monitoring group DeepState, Russian troops have been advancing alongside the border in Sumy Oblast, with the present entrance line mendacity nearly 20 kilometers away from the regional capital of Sumy.
Based on media stories, Russia exploited a thinning of Ukraine's front-line forces, which had been later changed by newer, under-equipped formations.
Zelensky mentioned that Russia solely pushed seven kilometers deep into Sumy, including that the Russian military "has been stopped there."
Zelensky added that Ukrainian forces had efficiently struck Russian positions within the neighboring Russian Kursk Oblast, close to Tyotkino, to stall Russian momentum and cut up their offensive teams.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Zelensky confirmed that small Russian reconnaissance teams had briefly crossed into Ukrainian territory — possible for propaganda functions. One six-man unit was reportedly eradicated one kilometer from the executive border.
"For them (Russia), it's an vital story, to take a photograph, video," Zelensky mentioned. "That's why they’re launching small working teams to just do that."
Earlier, the Kremlin has claimed the operations in Dnipropetrovsk are a part of an effort to create a so-called "buffer zone." Ukrainian officers have rejected these claims as disinformation.
The Kyiv IndependentChris York
Israel-Iran battle hits Ukraine's defenses
When talking concerning the latest escalation between Israel and Iran within the Center East, Zelensky mentioned that the following regional stress had pushed up oil costs, enhancing Russia's battle financing by way of vitality exports.
"This issue clearly doesn't assist us," he mentioned, including that Ukraine will urge Washington to implement stricter worth caps on Russian oil on the G7.
He additional revealed that U.S. weapons beforehand allotted to Ukraine, together with 20,000 air-defense interceptors used to counter Iranian-designed Shahed drones, had been redirected to assist Israel forward of its latest strikes on Iran.
"That was a critical blow… We had been relying on these missiles," Zelensky mentioned.
Zelensky warned that Ukraine should not change into "a bargaining chip" in bigger geopolitical negotiations involving the U.S., Russia, and the Center East. Russia and Iran have deepened their cooperation since 2022, with Iran supplying weapons and know-how to spice up Moscow's battle machine.
"I used to be always afraid that we may change into a bargaining chip, only one issue within the negotiations between america and the Russians. So, together with the scenario with Iran, the scenario with Ukraine was additionally an element. They’re actually depending on one another," he mentioned.
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Europe's indecisiveness
Zelensky voiced considerations a couple of slowdown in Western diplomatic momentum, notably across the "coalition of the prepared" initiative led by France and the UK.
Earlier, media reported that the "coalition of the prepared," aimed toward providing post-ceasefire safety ensures to Ukraine, has confronted delays because of the absence of U.S. dedication.
"Europe hasn't but determined what to do if America steps again," he mentioned. "Their vitality relied on U.S. resolve. With out it, issues decelerate."
Nonetheless, Zelensky made clear that Ukraine wouldn’t settle for any ultimatums from Moscow amid the uncertainty of Western assist. He described the most recent Russian ceasefire proposals as capitulation.
"They fake to be prepared for talks, however all they provide is an ultimatum," Zelensky mentioned. "We gained't associate with that. Not now, not ever."
Zelesnky additionally expressed optimism that the European Union's 18th sanctions bundle would cross later this month and mentioned he would personally push for nearer U.S.-EU coordination on the G7.
The Kyiv IndependentChris York
Prisoner exchanges and prospects for talks
Zelensky confirmed that prisoner exchanges with Russia are persevering with and that one other spherical of direct peace talks with Moscow might happen quickly after.
"We count on that they (prisoner swaps) might be accomplished on the twentieth or twenty first (of June)," he mentioned.
Over the week, Ukraine and Russia held a sequence of exchanges beneath an settlement reached throughout peace talks in Istanbul. Most just lately, on June 12, Ukraine introduced house one other group of severely wounded and significantly unwell service members.
The June 12 operation adopted the same swap two days earlier, each carried out with out speedy disclosure of the variety of launched prisoners.
The June exchanges are a part of a phased prisoner swap association agreed throughout the second spherical of direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul on June 2. Whereas no political breakthroughs emerged from the discussions, each side agreed to proceed exchanging POWs and repatriating the stays of fallen troopers.