Published on 6/16/2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed yesterday, Monday, that he had offered to hold a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in the United States, during a phone call he had with US President Donald Trump.
In a video speech he published on the X platform, Zelensky said, “Yesterday I discussed with President Trump the possibility of organizing such a meeting in the United States, in a format that would be difficult for Putin to reject,” adding, “We will see how things turn out.”
In a related context, a source in the Ukrainian presidency explained to journalists that the Ukrainian proposal “was conveyed some time ago through various channels, through mediators, diplomats and intelligence services,” noting at the same time that the Russian side “did not provide any clear response.”
This Ukrainian move comes at a time when Putin has consistently rejected invitations to meet, indicating – earlier this month – that he sees “no point” in meeting with Zelensky before reaching a peace agreement.
Zelensky also previously said that Putin ignored an invitation to meet him at the G7 summit being held these days in France.
London strengthens its support and tightens its sanctions
In a related development, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom will supply Ukraine with enriched uranium for its nuclear plants, in conjunction with the imposition of a new sanctions package on Russia, before a session dedicated to the conflict in Ukraine within the work of the G7 summit on Tuesday.
A statement from the British Prime Minister’s Office said that export financing worth 210 million pounds sterling (about 281 million dollars) will allow the British company “Orenco” to supply the Ukrainian “Energo Atom” company with enriched uranium.
Starmer affirmed London’s condemnation of what he described as Russia’s “brutal strikes,” stressing his country’s determination to “stifle the resources that finance Putin’s war and provide energy to Ukraine for the coming winters.”
This escalation in Western positions comes before President Zelensky arrives, on Tuesday, at the G7 summit in the French city of Evian, to participate in a working meeting that discusses ways of peace and security in Ukraine and Europe.
In this context, French President Emmanuel Macron aspires to mobilize greater American support, as he told the TF1 station, saying, “What I essentially want is for us to have Americans who say: We are with you. We will continue to help Ukraine, and we will increase pressure on Russia.”
These developments come with the continuation of the Russian-Ukrainian war, which has entered its fifth year, which broke out in February 2022, and caused the largest geopolitical and security crisis in Europe since World War II. The ongoing military operations have led to widespread global humanitarian and economic repercussions, amid a stagnation in the paths to a diplomatic solution.
