Zelenski wants to talk to Trump, at the G7 reunion, about the acquisition of American weapons by Ukraine
Volodimir Zelenski, Photo: Pool for Yomiuri / Ap / Profimedia
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski said he wants to talk to his American counterpart Donald Trump about the acquisition by Kiev of US military material, on the occasion of a meeting, still unconfirmed between the two leaders on the G7 summit in Canada.
On Monday on a visit to Austria, Zelenski is about to attend the G7 meeting in Canada on Tuesday, where he hopes to have a Trump meeting in the margin of this most highly industrialized states, writes Agerpres citing AFP and Reuters.
“One of the issues I will discuss with President Trump during the meeting is the defense package that Ukraine is ready to buy,” said Ukrainian president during the visit to Vienna.
“We all have to make efforts so that the alliance between America and Europe does not disintegrate. It is in the interest of everyone,” he insisted, saying that “I cannot imagine, even today, how to live and how to fight without the US help.”
Zelenski made these statements at a press conference with the head of the Austrian state Alexander Van der Bellen, with whom he had a meeting in his efforts aimed at ensuring the continuation of Western support against the Russian invasion.
“Austria is military neutral, but in no case political level”
In a statement, the Ukrainian presidency stressed that the two presidents evoked in a “tete-tete”, then in a “wide format” the question of “continuing the support of Ukraine”.
The participation of the Austrian economic sector in the reconstruction of Ukraine was also on the agenda, where Austria was before the war one of the greatest investors.
Leaders focus on “humanitarian demination, (…), food security and shelter construction”.
The Austrian Foreign Ministry has added that Vienna and Kiev will strengthen their cooperation in the field of reconstruction and health.
The Vienna government said it has shed 320 million euros representing humanitarian aid to Ukraine and neighboring states.
Austria, who is not a NATO member, “is certainly military neutral, but in no case political,” said President Alexander Van der Bellen.
Austria. Together, We Met with Federal President @Vanderbellen and Mrs. Doris Schmidauer in Vienna.
It is important that Austria's Support for Ukraine is expanding: Humanitarian Demining, The Return of Ukrainian Children Abduted by Russia, Energy and Cyber Security, Joint… pic.twitter.com/wktqegjc5
– Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир зеленський (@zezekyyua) June 16, 2025
The far right criticizes Zelenski's visit
Austrian good relations with Russia have been substantially degraded since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. However, the country retains economic ties with Moscow. One of the main Austrian banks, Raiffeisen, is the largest Western bank still present on the Russian territory. Volodimir Zelenski denounced the fact that this bank has been operating in Russia since 2022.
The far -right party FPO, which is in the first place in polls but which is in opposition, criticized Zelenski's visit.
“Our population has the right to know why Austria compromises its credibility in foreign policy, buries its neutrality and thus endangers its own security,” said his leader Herbert Kickl.
