European Council president announces that Zelenskyy will speak at European Council meeting on 18-19 June
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will take part in a European Council meeting on 18-19 June during discussions on Ukraine.
Zelenskyy is expected to address EU leaders during the European Council meeting on 18-19 June.
"Ukraine remains high on our agenda, and we will start our discussion by hearing from President Zelenskyy," a letter of invitation sent to EU leaders by European Council President António Costa, which has been seen by European Pravda, states.
The letter does not specify whether the Ukrainian president will participate in person or via video link, but according to European Pravda sources, Brussels anticipates that Zelenskyy will attend in person.
Costa noted that "Ukraine has demonstrated renewed success on the battlefield, while Russia is failing to achieve its military and strategic objectives".
He added that Russia's "increasingly reckless and irresponsible behaviour towards EU Member States is unacceptable and signals the opposite of strength".
"Our two-pronged approach – supporting Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia – is working," Costa wrote.
He also said he believes the European Council meeting on 18-19 June will provide an opportunity to send a strong signal of unity.
"I expect to welcome the opening of the first cluster of chapters in the accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, an important milestone on their EU path. This puts an end to a long impasse in the accession process of those two countries," he said.
Zelenskyy has also been invited to attend the G7 summit, which will take place from 15 to 17 June in Évian, France.
According to reports, European leaders intend to use the G7 summit to try to persuade US President Donald Trump to support their approach to negotiations with Russia.
Earlier, at a meeting in London on 7 June, the leaders of Ukraine, the UK, France and Germany outlined the conditions they believe are necessary to achieve a just and lasting peace.
German officials have said the proposals will be discussed within the G7 framework next before being considered at the EU summit.