Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday night (17) that he spoke with US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron in a “coordination conversation” at the end of the G7 summit in Evian.
“This was an important coordination conversation that could change a lot,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
“I am grateful to President Trump for his attention to Ukraine and his willingness to help bring peace. I am grateful to Emmanuel for his excellent and consistently strong work together,” he said.
In a later post on Telegram, he said he had discussed the results of the Evian summit with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels.
“The main thing is to work on strengthening our defense and obtaining American licenses for the production of air defense systems,” Zelensky wrote.
He thanked Rutte for his support and promised to make next month’s NATO summit in Ankara “effective for Ukraine’s defense.”
Zelensky highlighted the importance of Thursday’s (18) meeting of the “Ramstein” group, an alliance of more than 50 countries that provides financial and military aid to Kiev. European Union leaders also have a meeting scheduled for Thursday.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhail Fedorov said on Wednesday that Kiev is seeking additional military funding of $20 billion from its allies. A Ukrainian defense source told Reuters last week that Ukraine would make the request at the Ramstein group meeting.
Joint statement
G7 leaders declared their “unwavering support for Ukraine,” including an agreement to expand air defense assistance to Kiev and increase economic pressure on Russia — commitments notable for being endorsed by US President Donald Trump.
The leaders’ statement on geopolitical issues, released by the Élysée Palace, states that they have committed to strengthening sanctions against Russia, “including those targeting the oil and gas sectors.”
