Zelensky wants to meet Trump at the G7 summit

Head of the Office of the President Andrei Yermak said.

"Our visit to Washington this week was part of the preparations, including for, as I hope, the meeting between Zelensky and Trump on the margins of the G7 summit," said Yermak. According to him, the President's team is actively working to make such a dialogue possible.

The Ukrainian delegation also discussed in the US the continuation of military assistance to Ukraine against the backdrop of ongoing Russian aggression.

"There is a common understanding: it is necessary to continue the work," Yermak stressed.

He added that Ukraine is ready to independently purchase certain types of weapons, including missile defence systems, under the current cooperation agreement.

According to Yermak, during the visit, the Ukrainian delegation met with Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal. They are pushing a bipartisan bill that would impose high tariffs on Russian energy imports, aimed at undermining the Kremlin's financial power.

"We are hopeful that the new sanctions package will pass. Even the launch of the procedure of discussion in the Senate will be an important signal - everyone understands that we are talking about reducing Russia's oil revenues," - said Yermak.

Recall, in an interview with the American TV programme ABC Zelensky sharply reacted to a recent remark of Trump, who compared the war to a "fight between two children".

"Putin and I are not children on the playground in the park. He is a murderer who came to this park to kill children," the Ukrainian president said.

Zelensky also added that such statements are not only a matter of Trump's attitude, but also a reflection of the problem of distance:

"Who was not here and does not feel all this pain, can not fully understand what is happening".

Recall, from 15 to 17 June in the Canadian province of Alberta will be held in the 51st summit of leaders of the "G7" (G7), which includes the world's leading industrial democracies: the United States, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Japan. Representatives of the European Union and invited countries, including Ukraine, will also join the meeting.

This will be the first official G7 summit since Donald Trump returns to the White House in January 2025 - and already there are tensions between the US and its closest allies, Stratfor writes.

In a matter of months, Trump has managed to impose massive trade duties and has repeatedly criticised the G7 member states, including host Canada.

The main topics of the summit will be Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine and trade friction between the allies. However, despite a shared interest in security and economic issues, the meeting is likely to reveal serious divisions within the alliance. Trump's rhetoric, unilateral moves and pressure on NATO partners have already raised concerns in Berlin, Paris and Ottawa.

Particular attention will be focused on the US position on Ukraine. Amid escalating Russian aggression and new strikes on Ukrainian cities, European countries expect Washington to make clearer commitments to support Kiev. However, Trump has previously repeatedly signalled that he favours a quick end to the conflict, even if it requires concessions from Ukraine - which has caused alarm among European allies.

The initiative to impose 500 per cent tariffs on countries that buy Russian energy - a proposal that is being lobbied for in the US Senate - is also expected to be discussed. The EU is considering similar measures, including severe restrictions on oil and dual-use technologies.

Recall, on 10 June, the European Commission presented the 18th package of sanctions against Russia.

It is aimed at further weakening the Russian energy and financial sector in response to the ongoing aggression against Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says "this war must end," Politico reports.

Key measures include a proposal to lower the price ceiling on Russian oil from $60 to $45 a barrel, a complete blocking of 22 Russian banks from the international SWIFT system, and a ban on the use of the Nord Stream pipelines to supply gas between Russia and Germany.

"Russia's economy is already cracking under the pressure of previous sanctions, and the new package will hit even harder," von der Leyen said at a joint press conference with European diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas. Kallas added: "Russia is brutal, aggressive and a threat to all of us."

In addition, the European Commission proposes to expand the oil embargo to include oil products produced in third countries from Russian raw materials, which should stop attempts to circumvent sanctions. It is also planned to include in the "shadow fleet" 77 more ships suspected of illegal transportation of Russian oil - they will be banned from entering EU ports.

The sanctions will also affect the Russian Direct Investment Fund - its activities will be restricted to prevent the modernisation of the Russian economy at the expense of Western capital.

Another blow is an export ban worth €2.5bn, which covers the supply of industrial goods to Russia: machinery, metals, plastics, chemicals, as well as dual-use technologies used for the production of drones, missiles and other weapons.

Von der Leyen emphasised the effectiveness of the sanctions, noting that before the invasion, Russia earned about €12bn a month from energy exports to Europe. That amount has now dropped to €1.8bn.

"Our goal is to prevent Russia from modernising its army at the expense of European technology," she said.

The EU expects to agree on all measures by the end of the month. According to Ignacy Niemczycki, a spokesman for the Polish presidency, "the mood among EU ambassadors is optimistic."