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Zelensky, Trump have 'good' conversation during G7 meeting

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Zelensky, Trump have 'good' conversation during G7 meeting
Zelensky holds a phone call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Jan. 29, 2024. (Volodymyr Zelenskyy / X)

President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump during the Group of Seven (G7) online meeting on Feb. 24.

"As for Donald Trump... We have just had a conversation. It was a very good conversation within the framework of the G7 meeting led by Canada," Zelensky said, thanking Ottawa for organizing the event.

The Ukrainian president expressed hope that the U.S. would maintain its support for Ukraine, emphasizing the need to preserve unity between Washington and European allies.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with a dozen European leaders and top officials, visited Kyiv on Feb. 24 to mark three years since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Zelensky's remarks come amid growing concerns that Trump is attempting to sideline Ukraine and Europe in favor of direct negotiations with Russia.

U.S. and Russian officials held talks in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 without Ukrainian participation, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for Feb. 25.

While no formal peace proposals were announced, Trump's outreach to Moscow has coincided with increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Ukraine.

Trump has accused Zelensky of being a "dictator without elections," echoing Russian propaganda narratives about his legitimacy.

His remarks ignore the fact that Ukraine's constitution prohibits elections during martial law, which has been in effect since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

His administration has also pushed Kyiv to sign a minerals deal, which Zelensky has criticized for lacking security guarantees.

The initial U.S. proposal reportedly sought a 50% stake in Ukraine's natural resources, including critical minerals, oil, and gas, as well as stakes in ports and other key infrastructure through a joint investment fund.

The U.S. president has also called for Russia's reinstatement into the G7, arguing on Feb. 13 that Moscow's 2014 expulsion following its illegal annexation of Crimea was a "mistake."

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Tim Zadorozhnyy

Reporter

Tim Zadorozhnyy is the reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in foreign policy, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and political developments across Europe and Russia. He studied International Relations and European Studies at Lazarski University and Coventry University and is now based in Warsaw. Tim began his journalism career in Odesa in 2022, working as a reporter at a local television channel. After relocating to Warsaw, he spent a year and a half with the Belarusian independent media outlet NEXTA, initially as a news anchor and later as managing editor. Tim is fluent in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

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