Zelenksyy arrives in Washington
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that his administration is “counting on America” to help bring an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine. Speaking ahead of the crucial summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, he described the meeting as “high stakes” and a potential gateway to more direct peace talks, CNN reported.
“The key thing is that this meeting should open up a real path toward a just peace and a substantive discussion between leaders in a trilateral format — Ukraine, the United States and the Russian side,” Zelenskyy said in a statement, per CNN.
Stressing that “it is time to end the war”, the Ukrainian President further said the “necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America,” while adding that he expects to receive an intelligence report on “the current intentions of the Russian side and its preparations for the meeting in Alaska.”
Meanwhile, addressing the situation on the ground, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces were holding the line against Russian advances near Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donetsk region, while adding that Kyiv was sending reinforcements to Dobropillia and other nearby areas.
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“The Russian army continues to suffer significant losses in its attempts to secure more favourable political positions for the Russian leadership at the meeting in Alaska,” Zelenskyy said, according to CNN.
In a separate but related development, Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to meet after the Trump-Putin summit “at the moment when it will be the most useful and effective,” according to the Elysee Palace. Earlier this week, Zelenskyy met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
A new Chicago Council on Global Affairs poll cited by CNN showed that 62% of Americans support sending military aid to Ukraine — a 10-point rise since March — with Republican support jumping 21 points to 51%.
Support for economic aid is also up, while 73% favour stronger sanctions on Russia. Only 35% back sending American troops to Ukraine, the CNN report stated, citing the poll estimates.
Trump Says He Is ‘Doing This to Save Lives’
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, while en route to Alaska, told reporters that his push for ending the war isn’t self-serving.
“I am not doing this for my health. OK, I don’t need it… I am doing this to save a lot of lives,” he said, per CNN.
On the consequences if Putin refuses to cooperate, he said, “Yes, it will be very severe,” in reference to economic measures against Moscow.
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