Key facts
- President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump will meet at the NATO summit in Ankara on June 8.
- The meeting will focus on strategies to pressure Russia into peace talks.
- Ukraine aims to secure urgent U.S. support for its air defense systems, particularly Patriot missiles.
- Trump plans to present his vision for a peace agreement and may call Putin afterward.
- Ukraine has recently increased strikes inside Russia while Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump are scheduled to meet on June 8 at the NATO summit in Ankara to discuss strategies for ending Russia's war in Ukraine. The meeting is driven by Ukraine's belief that an opportunity exists to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into direct negotiations.
Kyiv hopes to capitalize on what it perceives as growing pressure on the Kremlin, while also urgently seeking U.S. support to bolster its air defense capabilities, particularly Patriot interceptor missiles. One senior Ukrainian official noted that Zelensky wants to present ideas on how the war is changing and address the growing sentiment in Russia for an end to the conflict, exacerbated by daily hardships and a gasoline crisis.
A U.S. official familiar with the preparations indicated that Trump intends to share his own vision for a peace agreement with Zelensky and is expected to speak with Putin by phone following their meeting. A critical priority for Ukraine during the discussion will be its severe shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles, a situation described as "critical" due to reliance on U.S.-made systems. This shortage was highlighted by a recent massive missile attack on Kyiv where Ukraine could not intercept any of the 23 ballistic missiles launched.
Efforts to arrange a direct meeting between Zelensky and Putin have been unsuccessful, with Moscow refusing to negotiate in a neutral country and insisting Zelensky travel to Russia, a proposal Kyiv views as an attempt to avoid genuine dialogue. The diplomatic push occurs as Ukraine has increased strikes inside Russia, targeting cities like Moscow, while Russia has intensified its aerial attacks on Ukraine, causing significant casualties and straining air defenses.