Zelenskyy Seeks G7 Support as Kremlin Invites Him to Moscow

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended a G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, on June 16, 2026, to secure increased air defense and diplomatic pressure on Russia. During the summit, Zelenskyy reported a unanimous conclusion among leaders that Russia is losing the war. He held bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and other leaders to discuss sanctions against Russia's banking, military, and energy sectors. U.S. President Donald Trump responded positively to requests for more air defense missiles.

Following the summit, the Kremlin stated that Zelenskyy is welcome to visit Moscow for talks if he is prepared for responsible and serious discussions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that while no official communication channels exist between Moscow and Kyiv, Russia remains open to direct engagement. Peskov also announced that U.S. emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Russia to discuss settling the conflict, likely following a memorandum signing in Switzerland.

Contradictory claims emerged regarding a potential meeting between the three leaders. Zelenskyy alleged that he and Trump discussed a specific U.S.-based talk format and claimed that Vladimir Putin refused previous offers to meet at the G7 summit. However, the Kremlin denied that Putin and Trump discussed such a meeting, with aide Yuri Ushakov stating Moscow received no formal proposals. Peskov further confirmed that Putin received no invitation to the G7 summit in France.