Zelensky hopes for possible meeting with Trump in The Hague
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed hope that he will be able to start talks with former US President Donald Trump during the current NATO summit in The Hague this week. This comes amid expectations and diplomatic hopes of the Ukrainian leader to intensify relations with Washington during this difficult period for Ukraine and the world as a whole. In an interview with Sky News, Zelensky confirmed his intentions to hold a meeting with Trump, noting that his team is already working on agreeing on the details: “Yes, I am going to. I can’t say exactly when – I will say frankly that the team is working on it. Yes, we intend to meet.” He added that discussions on the timing of this meeting are currently ongoing, and the responsible parties are actively involved in preparing for it. The head of state also stressed the importance of Trump’s understanding of Ukraine’s role in global politics and the value of the Ukrainian alliance for the United States. “I hope that Trump realizes that Ukrainians are reliable allies of America. On certain issues, their cooperation may be short-term, but friendship? It will never disappear. Russia is a real challenge for America, and relations with it will be a constant topic for discussion,” Zelensky said. Recall that previous attempts to meet with Trump were unsuccessful. Thus, during the G7 summit last week in Canada, the Ukrainian president planned to arrange a personal meeting with the former head of the White House. However, Trump suddenly left the summit before the planned end, which actually deprived him of the opportunity to implement the planned negotiations. Various versions were expressed regarding the reasons for this step: according to some sources, he was dissatisfied with the position of France and its leader Emmanuel Macron, and also showed disinterest in meeting with Zelensky. Thus, the situation remains tense, and Ukrainian diplomats hope that in The Hague Zelensky will finally have the opportunity to talk with Trump and outline key issues of bilateral relations, as well as agree on further steps for the US and Ukraine in confronting Russian aggression. It is expected that this meeting could become an important signal of support for Kyiv and reinforce Ukraine's strategic course towards Euro-Atlantic integration.