🔇 For the first time since the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not included in the main discussions of the NATO summit in June — to “please” US President Donald Trump, reports Euractiv citing sources.
Source: Censor.NET
🌍 Most European leaders expected a meeting with Zelensky, but the desire to please Trump and “ensure his smile in photos” turned out to be a higher priority.
📅 The summit has only one session planned for the 32 NATO member countries. The White House doubts whether to include a separate agenda item for Ukraine.
🤝 According to sources, the goal of the summit is to show alliance unity. Involving Ukraine could create tension because Trump supports negotiations with russia and opposes Ukraine’s NATO membership in the near future.
🎉 Meanwhile, Kyiv will join “in one form or another,” likely at public events around the summit, on the level of other Alliance partners, including an informal leaders’ dinner.
📌 Over three years of war, Kyiv has been present at all NATO summits: virtually in 2022, and in person in Vilnius in 2023 and Washington in 2024, with meetings of the NATO-Ukraine council.