Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to press President Donald Trump for approval to purchase additional U.S. weapons when the two leaders meet this week at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in the Canadian Rockies. The high-stakes discussion comes as Ukraine faces mounting pressure from continued Russian military aggression and seeks to bolster its defense capabilities with advanced American systems.
Zelenskyy confirmed the agenda during a press conference in Austria, noting that Ukraine is ready to buy air defense systems and other weaponry, pending U.S. clearance. While the funds for such purchases were allocated under the Biden administration’s military aid packages, Kyiv still needs Washington’s formal green light for procurement.
“One of the questions that I will discuss with President Trump during the meeting is the defense package that Ukraine is ready to buy,” Zelenskyy said.
The meeting is scheduled for June 17, as part of a broader G7 gathering where world leaders are addressing trade, global conflicts, and diplomatic cooperation. Though Ukraine is not a G7 member, Zelenskyy’s invitation to the summit signals the continued priority Western nations place on ending the war with Russia.
This marks a critical diplomatic moment, as the last time Trump and Zelenskyy met was during Pope Francis’ funeral in April. Their conversation then followed a tense exchange at the White House in February, where Zelenskyy confronted Trump over U.S. ambiguity on military commitments. Their upcoming talks are expected to be more strategic, focusing on concrete defense arrangements.
President Trump, meanwhile, is navigating a whirlwind of foreign policy demands. Just days before the summit, he held a 60-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the spiraling Israel-Iran conflict and broader nuclear concerns. The call followed Iran’s withdrawal from nuclear negotiations after Israel launched airstrikes on facilities linked to Tehran’s enrichment program.
Trump posted about the exchange, noting, “He [Putin] feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end,” suggesting that both conflicts were interrelated and that diplomatic resolution should come from all fronts.
Zelenskyy is among a small group of foreign leaders granted one-on-one time with Trump at the summit. Trump already met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and is expected to sit down with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in the coming days. For Sheinbaum, this will be her first official meeting with Trump since he returned to office. Mexico is attending as a guest nation alongside the core G7 countries.
The summit itself is being held in a remote location, reflecting heightened security amid growing international instability. The gathering comes just a week before another key diplomatic event: the NATO summit in The Hague, where Ukraine’s defense posture will again be under the spotlight.
Though Russia is no longer part of the G7—formerly G8—after its 2014 annexation of Crimea, Trump continues to advocate for its reinstatement. Speaking with Canadian Prime Minister Carney, Trump argued it was a mistake to expel Russia from the group.
“You spend so much time talking about Russia, and he’s no longer at the table,” Trump said. “So it makes life more complicated.”
His comments reflect a broader philosophy that engaging Russia directly may be a more effective strategy than isolation. However, many G7 leaders remain wary, citing ongoing aggression in Ukraine as incompatible with any diplomatic reintegration.
For Zelenskyy, the stakes of this summit are particularly high. With Russian forces escalating their attacks and winter approaching, Ukraine needs robust air defense and strategic supplies to maintain its position. A favorable outcome from his meeting with Trump could significantly impact Ukraine’s battlefield readiness.
What’s unclear is how Trump will respond. Though he has expressed support for ending both the Israel-Iran and Russia-Ukraine wars, his willingness to approve new arms deals for Ukraine remains uncertain. The answer may depend on broader diplomatic calculations, including Trump’s dealings with Putin and his vision for NATO.
As the summit unfolds, the world will be watching closely to see whether Zelenskyy’s appeal succeeds—and what it signals about the direction of U.S. foreign policy in an increasingly fractured geopolitical landscape.
