Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Donbas and Crimea will be the first issues he will bring up at a hypothetical meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I'll start by saying that Donbas and Crimea are parts of Ukraine," Zelensky said in an interview with the German newspaper Bild.

Hopefully, Crimea will soon return to Ukraine, he said.

"I really like Crimea. I've been there countless times. It's a unique place in Ukraine with its nature and history. For me, Crimea has always been and remains a part of Ukraine," Zelensky said.

According to earlier reports, Zelensky is expected to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on June 18.