Zelenskyy Advocates Forceful Diplomacy, Eyes Critical June Summits Amidst Stalled Prisoner Exchange

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the use of ‘language of force’ when dealing with Russia, asserting that it is the only language Moscow understands. He believes this approach is critical in all international interactions in the upcoming months. Zelenskyy is focused on the upcoming June summits and is committed to making sure the G7 Summit in Canada and the NATO Summit in the Netherlands yield concrete outcomes. He mentioned that important meetings and negotiations are forthcoming in Ukraine. The G7 Summit in Canada will occur from June 15-17, 2025. A planned prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine was unsuccessful due to disagreements. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is working to secure the release of POWs and the return of fallen soldiers, and noted Russia’s failure to provide complete exchange lists as agreed. Zelenskyy further criticized Russia’s attempts to exploit the situation for political maneuvering, while Ukraine remains committed to facilitating the exchange process.