This comes after Zelensky urged global powers to impose intensified sanctions on Moscow following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks suggesting he did not “rule out” his forces taking control of Ukraine's northeastern city of Sumy.
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are expected to meet on Wednesday (Jun 25) on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague, a senior source in the Ukrainian presidency told AFP. The source said that “the team are finalising the details,” adding that the talks scheduled would focus on sanctions against Russia and arms procurement for Kyiv. This comes after Zelensky urged global powers to impose intensified sanctions on Moscow following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks suggesting he did not “rule out” his forces taking control of Ukraine's northeastern city of Sumy as part of efforts to create a buffer zone along the border.
According to the AFP report, citing source, the talks were scheduled for the “early afternoon” in the Netherlands, adding that “The teams are finalising the details.” The discussions will focus on Ukraine’s “purchase of a defence package, a large part of which consists of air defence systems.” The leaders would also discuss more “sanctions against Russia, and a price cap on oil,” the source added.
While Ukraine and its allies have sought to lower an existing oil cap imposed on Russia after it invaded Ukraine from $60 to $45, Trump has refused to impose new sanctions on Moscow, despite Putin’s refusal to accept a ceasefire to end the war that has been going on for more than three years.
Earlier, Trump skipped a possible meeting with Zelensky at the G7 summit in Geneva when he left the international discussions a day earlier due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. Zelensky has been a central figure at recent international summits but has not been invited to the main working session with NATO members, given his fragile relationship with the US president. Their previous White House visit ended up in hostilities after Trump accused Zelensky of being ungrateful, after which the Ukrainian leader left early.
Earlier on Friday (Jun 20), the Ukrainian president said that Russia has once again shown that they are “not in the mood for a ceasefire” and “wants to wage war” after Putin’s comments on the Sumy region. “Today, the Russians once again openly and absolutely cynically declared that they are ‘not in the mood’ for a ceasefire,” Zelensky wrote on X. “Russia wants to wage war. Even brandishing some threats.”
He reiterated that other nations are not putting enough pressure on Russia, saying, “This means the pressure the world is applying isn’t hurting them enough yet, or they are trying very hard to keep up appearances.” He added, “Well, the Russian economy is already crumbling. We will support this process even more.”
Referring to Russia’s recent support for Iran amid its conflict with Israel, the Ukrainian leader said, “Ayatollah Putin can look at his friends in Iran to see where such regimes end up, and how far into decay they drive their countries.”