Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump are planning to meet on Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague, a senior source in the Ukrainian presidency told AFP.
The war-time leader has been a central figure at recent summits but given his fractious relationship with Trump, Zelensky has not been invited to the main working session with NATO members.
Zelensky’s top aide Andriy Yermak said he had discussed preparations for the upcoming meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday.
“The United States reaffirmed its unwavering support for a ceasefire,” he said on X, noting a lack of progress in the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
“The teams are finalising the details” of the meeting, the source told AFP, adding that the talks were scheduled for the “early afternoon” in the Netherlands.
The source added that the discussion would focus on Ukraine’s “purchase of a defence package, a large part of which consists of air defence systems”.
The leaders would also discuss more “sanctions against Russia, and a price cap on oil”, the source added.
Ukraine and its allies have sought to lower an existing oil cap imposed on Russia after it invaded Ukraine more than three years ago, from $60 to $45, to dent the Kremlin war chest.
Trump so far has frustrated Western allies by refusing to impose new sanctions on Russia despite President Vladimir Putin’s rejection of a Ukraine ceasefire.
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