By admin 
Tirana [Albania], May 17 (ANI): President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
held a series of meetings with
European leaders
and held discussions with the President of the
European Council
,
Antonio Costa
, the President of the
European Commission
,
Ursula von der Leyen
, and the Prime Ministers of the
Netherlands
,
Denmark
, and
Sweden
.
President Zelenskyy emphasised the need to increase international pressure on Russia and stressed that a ceasefire is the first step toward achieving peace. The talks also focused on bolstering military support, enhancing
Ukraine
‘s air defence and defence production capabilities, and accelerating
Ukraine
‘s path toward European Union membership.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, “I held a meeting with the President of the
European Council
@eucopresident,
Antonio Costa
, and the President of the
European Commission
, Ursula @vonderleyen. I informed them on today’s negotiations in Istanbul. Pressure on Russia must increase if it does not agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire. I am therefore grateful for the preparation of the 17th sanctions package. We expect it to target everything that funds Russia’s war machine: banks, oil, energy, metallurgy, and the shadow fleet.”
He added, “Special attention was given to our path toward the EU — the possibility of swiftly opening negotiation clusters and trade cooperation. Thank you for supporting
Ukraine
and bringing us nearer to a fair resolution of peace.”
https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1923423900261810243
President Zelensky and Prime Minister Schoof of the
Netherlands
discussed
Ukraine
‘s defence needs, including enhanced air defence systems and investment in domestic defence production.
Sharing a post on X, Zelenskyy said, “During my meeting with Prime Minister of the
Netherlands
Dick Schoof @MinPres, I expressed my gratitude for his robust backing.
Ukraine
. This year, the
Netherlands
has nearly tripled its defence aid. We truly appreciate this contribution to protecting the lives of our people.”
President Zelenskyy also emphasised the importance of increasing international pressure on Russia and reiterated that achieving a full ceasefire is the first step toward a reliable peace.
The update stated, “Today, I addressed the gathering in Istanbul and emphasized the significance of ramping up pressure on Russia with the aim of securing a comprehensive ceasefire as an initial move towards enduring peace. Additionally, we touched upon our nation’s requirements: enhancing aerial defense capabilities and boosting investment in domestic defense manufacturing — all measures designed to safeguard lives against Russian attacks and reinstate safety for our citizens.”
https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1923441101312229797
President Zelenskyy and Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen discussed the recent diplomatic talks held in Istanbul and stressed the significance of keeping up the pressure on Russia.
In a different posting, Zelenskyy stated, “I had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister of
Denmark
, Mette Frederiksen @Statsmin. We talked about continuing military aid and making direct investments in
Ukraine
‘s defence industry.
Denmark
is one of the leaders in supporting our state and is preparing the 26th package of military aid for
Ukraine
. This support helps save lives, and we deeply appreciate it.”
“We also talked about the negotiations in Istanbul and the coordination of diplomatic efforts with the US and European partners. We share the view that pressure on Russia is crucial if they refuse to agree to a ceasefire. In July this year,
Denmark
will begin its Presidency of the EU Council. We are counting on their support for
Ukraine
‘s European integration, which we discussed during the meeting. I thank the Government and all the people of
Denmark
for every form of assistance to our state and for their unwavering support of our people,” the post added.
https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1923439612040474994
In a meeting with Swedish PM Kristersson, President Zelenskyy focused on the ongoing negotiations in Istanbul, the need to intensify international pressure on Russia, and the next steps in their joint efforts to secure peace.
“I had a substantive conversation with @SwedishPM Ulf Kristersson — about the negotiations in Istanbul, increasing pressure on Russia, and our further joint actions. We also focused on cooperation within the Coalition of the Willing, security guarantees, and defence partnership,” Zelenskyy said on X.
He added, “I am grateful to
Sweden
and the Nordic and Baltic countries for their joint statement supporting a full and unconditional ceasefire for 30 days and direct negotiations between
Ukraine
and Russia at the highest level. This is crucial to give true diplomacy a chance.”
https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1923426915593093380
Meanwhile, while attending the European Political Community Summit in Tirana, President Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron,
UK
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk held a phone call with US President
Donald Trump
.
The Prime Minister’s Office of
Ukraine
said in a statement on Thursday, ”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
talked about the discussions between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul. The President of
Ukraine
It should be noted that the Ukrainian delegation participating in the negotiations was composed of high-level representatives and possessed authorization to address the topic of a ceasefire.
The Ukrainian president thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who concurrently serves as the National Security Advisor to the President of the United States and as the Special Envoy of the President of the United States under Keith Kellogg, for being present in Istanbul.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Additionally, the statement noted Turkey’s appreciation for hosting the negotiation process.
The leader of Ukraine requested heightened pressure on Russia along with stringent additional sanctions. (ANI)
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).