Zelensky arrives in Estonia for Nordic-Baltic summit as Kyiv pushes allies ahead of key summer meetings
on Google
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska arrived in Estonia on June 9 to participate in the Ukraine-Nordic-Baltic Eight summit and hold a series of bilateral meetings with regional leaders.
The visit comes as Kyiv intensifies diplomatic efforts ahead of key international gatherings later this summer, including the EU, G7, and NATO summits, while seeking additional military support and coordination with allies on Russia's war against Ukraine.
Zelensky held bilateral talks with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, presidential spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov said.
The discussions focused on a range of issues, including strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities and advancing the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, which allows NATO allies to finance purchases of U.S. weapons for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president also met with Estonian President Alar Karis, thanking Estonia and other Nordic-Baltic countries for their continued backing throughout the full-scale war.
Speaking alongside Karis, Zelensky described the Nordic and Baltic states as partners that have supported Ukraine "very principledly, very meaningfully, and friendly" since the start of the all-out war.
Zelensky also stressed the need to coordinate positions ahead of upcoming summits.
"June and July this year may determine a lot," he said during the joint press conference.
The Estonia visit follows Zelensky's trip to London on June 7, where he met U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and participated in E3-format talks with the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany focused on the future of peace negotiations with Russia.
Those discussions came amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war and growing European efforts to shape a potential framework for future negotiations with Moscow.
