While the whole world was suspended for twelve days in the war between Israel and Iran, and Vladimir Putin took the opportunity to pound Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky had reasons to wait impatiently the global meeting of The Hague. In search of renewed support from the members of the Transatlantic Alliance, but especially for a tête-à-tête with Donald Trump, who had put a rabbit on the G7 on June 17.
Welcomed “Among his friends”according to the words of Ursula von der Leyen, the Ukrainian president even posed for the first family photo on Tuesday at the start of the summit. This Wednesday, he spoke for more than forty minutes with his American counterpart, during a “Long and rich meeting”. “We have addressed all the really important questions. I thank the president, I thank the United States. We discussed how to reach a ceasefire and real peace. We have discussed ways to protect our populations. We appreciate attention and the desire to help bring peace closer. Details will follow ”, wrote Zelensky on his social networks.
For his part, Donald Trump, asked about the interview and a possible discussion on a ceasefire, replied: “No, no. I just wanted to know how he was going. He was very nice. What I selected from this meeting is that Zelensky wants war to end. I have to talk to Vladimir Putin and see if we can end it. It is crazy that last week, nearly 7,000 Ukrainian and Russian soldiers died. ” During the same speaking, Trump said he was planning to send more patriot missile batteries in Ukraine, specifying that the anti -missile systems were “Very difficult to obtain”, more than “We will see if we can make some available.”
What must be remembered, beyond these somewhat divergent reports of the same conversation is that Donald Trump seems happy. And this is what matters above all, in the sequence of the last months, of the sland in the oval office in February, with the obstinate refusal of the American president to seriously confront Vladimir Putin and to put him under pressure.
And then, in the joint declaration, endorsed by the 32 leaders, including Donald Trump from the whims of which the destiny of the world is now suspended, the allies have reaffirmed “Their sovereign and lasting commitment to support Ukraine, whose security contributes to ours”, facing “Long -term threat” that Russia represents. In conclusion, Mark Rutte repeated that Ukraine could count on increasing aid of its allies for the current year. “It can be said without risk that military aid to Ukraine will exceed this year the $ 50 billion granted last year,” NATO Secretary General said during the final press conference. He had already formulated this promise on Tuesday, welcoming the Ukrainian president, giving him “Volodymyr”, and indicating that one of the objectives of the allies was to make Ukraine so strong that “Vladimir Putin will never try to seize a single square kilometer from Ukraine”.
“Everything we do here aims to allow Ukraine to continue fighting, so that it has everything it needs to be as strong as possible. But it is obvious that we also continue to work in favor of a peace agreement or a sustainable ceasefire ”, said Rutte, happy, according to a BBC correspondent on the spot, to be able to extend to Ukraine, rather than answer the many questions about Donald Trump.
In the corridors of the summit, during these two days, the members of the Ukrainian delegation did not hide that in the absence of a major advance in relations with NATO for objective reasons, Kyiv will focus on the concrete. “Ukraine needs air defense systems, Ukraine needs weapons, Ukraine needs additional sanctions against Russia, additional pressure. These subjects will certainly be the main ones during the president’s meetings [Zelensky] with leaders [des Etats membres de l’Otan]», The leader of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak on Tuesday, Andriy Yermak on Tuesday. Ukrainians do not leave empty -handed.
