President Trump addressing Russia
During a recent meeting of G7 leaders, U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized that “Russia must reach an agreement” concerning the ongoing war in Ukraine. He highlighted the staggering losses on both sides, stating, “Russia has suffered a tremendous number of casualties, just as Ukraine has. Last month, they lost a combined 35,000 troops. What is happening there is simply madness,” Trump remarked.
The president also pointed out the existing animosity between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
On the same day, leaders from Ukraine and the U.S. participated in a joint working session with representatives from other G7 countries, focusing primarily on Russia‘s war against Ukraine. Prior to this, there were reports of a closed meeting involving Zelensky, Trump, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Later, Zelensky shared a photo from the meeting with Trump, captioning it, “It is always important to coordinate positions.” The photo included Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Context
- On May 11, The New York Times reported that peace negotiations in Ukraine mediated by the U.S. were allegedly “dead” amidst a shift in focus towards the conflict with Iran.
- On June 15, the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding, after which Trump stated that the U.S. would now refocus on Ukraine.
- On the same day, the Ukrainian president disclosed that during a phone call with Trump on June 14, they discussed the possibility of arranging a meeting with the illegitimate president of the aggressor country, Russia.
