European leaders will discuss how to increase pressure on Moscow as Russia continues to face military setbacks in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet within hours at Downing Street with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The meeting, expected to start at 18:30 Central European Time, will focus primarily on strengthening political and diplomatic pressure on Russia. The talks come in the wake of recent developments in the course of the war.
Meeting follows Zelenskiy’s direct call for negotiations with Putin
The meeting is held days after Zelenskiy made a direct call for negotiations with Vladimir Putin. Zelenskiy addressed the public with an open letter released ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The Kremlin rejected this proposal. It was reported that Putin found the letter "rude" and questioned Zelenskiy’s intentions.
The Russian leader also dismissed the face-to-face meeting proposal, saying "such a meeting would have no meaning." However, a Kremlin spokesperson stated that Zelenskiy could come to Moscow if he wished to meet.
Ukraine’s attacks deep inside Russia draw attention
The London meeting follows Ukraine’s large-scale drone attack on St. Petersburg on Saturday. This attack brought renewed attention to Kiev’s capability to strike deep into Russian territory.
The next day, Zelenskiy accused Russia of targeting critical nuclear infrastructure. In a social media statement, he said a nuclear facility was deliberately hit but radiation levels remained within normal background levels.
Zelenskiy also claimed a marked increase in Russian audacity and noted that the fire at the facility was extinguished by first responders. According to Ukraine, the international community must take new steps to ensure Russia faces consequences for such attacks.
Ukraine reports 236 drone attacks overnight
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 236 drones overnight, with 215 being shot down or neutralized by signal jamming. According to Ukraine, 17 drones reached their targets at 13 locations, and debris from downed drones caused damage in nine other areas.
Damage was reported in several regions, especially Chernihiv. An elderly woman was injured when a fuel station in Koryukivka was hit, and stations in Snovsk and Horodnia were also targeted.
Attacks overnight in Pryluky district caused damage to buildings of an agricultural company, some offices, and service facilities. Another attack in the morning reportedly set a tractor on fire.
Economic burden of the war is also increasing
The pressure of the war on the Russian economy is also intensifying. Rising prices, tax hikes, the highest borrowing costs in 20 years, business closures, and labor shortages have left the country facing its toughest economic situation since the large-scale invasion in February 2022.
An analysis by the French news agency AFP, based on data from the Institute for the Study of War, also noted that Ukraine regained more territory from Russian forces in May than it lost. This trend has repeated for the second consecutive month.
