Zelenskyy: Putin fails to seize opportunity to meet on G7 sidelines
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has noted that French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed his proposal to hold a meeting with Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G7 summit, which is taking place on June 15–17 in Évian-les-Bains, France, and that US President Donald Trump was also aware of this initiative, but the Russian side ignored it.
In an interview following Tuesday's meetings, Zelenskyy stated that he had called Macron to suggest that, given the presence of many G7 leaders, they find a way—perhaps in a neutral country like Switzerland—to organize a meeting with the Russians. He noted that while the French President had been very pleased with the idea, the Russian side had failed to react or offer support. Zelenskyy added that the American side was also aware of the proposal, though he was uncertain if they had received a positive signal either.
At the same time, he noted that the meeting in Évian-les-Bains had been truly strong and reiterated that Putin had not seized the opportunity to meet during the G7 summit.
Zelenskyy further mentioned that Putin had extended numerous invitations to him through various world leaders to visit Moscow, but emphasized that he did not play such games. Instead, he explained that any such meeting would need to take place in a third country rather than Russia or Ukraine for obvious reasons, suggesting options like Switzerland, Türkiye, or countries in the Middle East. He noted that it was ultimately up to the US President to decide whether to organize such an event or extend an invitation to both parties, adding that the United States could also serve as a venue, noting they had previously held a meeting in Alaska.
The President emphasized that it was crucial to attempt to organize a meeting before winter. He recalled that the previous winter had been terrible for Ukraine and stated that they did not want to experience another one like it. He concluded that Russia needed to understand that while Ukraine had suffered a terrible winter, things would not be easy for them either, which was why his proposal remained focused on dialogue.