Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he believes there is a "real possibility" of ending the war against Russia. According to him, the role of the United States will be decisive in this process. Therefore, Zelensky intends to meet with US President Donald Trump during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, which will be held in Ankara, Turkey, to discuss a new mediation of the conflict.
Zelensky talks with Trump about new US mediation attempt
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he believes there is a "real possibility" of ending the war against Russia. According to him, the role of the United States will be decisive in this process. Therefore,...
In a telephone conversation the day before, which Zelensky called "very good", the Ukrainian president updated Trump on the situation on the battlefield. At the time, he also denied the Kremlin's claim that the strategic city of Kostiantynivka, in eastern Ukraine, had been taken by Russian forces.
Both Zelensky and his European allies assess that Ukraine's position on the front and long-range strikes against targets on Russian territory, aimed at weakening Moscow's military capacity, put Kiev in a more favorable situation to negotiate an eventual peace agreement.
Negotiations mediated by the United States had been paralyzed since before the conflict between the US and Iran at the end of February. According to Washington, neither Russia nor Ukraine demonstrated a concrete willingness to move towards a ceasefire and, subsequently, a peace agreement.
In a post on social media, Zelensky stated that he now believes there is "a real possibility of putting an end to the war" and reinforced that "the determination of the United States is decisive."
According to the Ukrainian president, he and Trump agreed to continue talks during the NATO summit, which will take place next week in Ankara.
Also the day before, Donald Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the call, the Russian leader reaffirmed that he intends to conquer the entire Donbass region, despite Ukrainian resistance, and stated that Russian forces have seized 133 locations in Ukraine since the beginning of 2026.
However, the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) called these statements "largely exaggerated", saying they "do not correspond to reality on the battlefield".
According to the institute's most recent analysis, there is evidence that Russian forces have captured or infiltrated 64 locations and occupied around 621.7 square kilometers of territory since the beginning of 2026.
Also according to the ISW, during the month of June alone, Russian troops captured or infiltrated 20 locations and advanced approximately 30.42 square kilometers.
"These numbers include locations in which Russian forces only managed a partial infiltration. Even considering these cases, the data does not correspond to the scenario presented by Putin", concludes the report.
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Source: Noticias ao Minuto - Ultima Hora
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