It is time to say no to Russian resources. The G7 countries should completely stop purchasing energy from Russia, replacing it with Canadian alternatives, said John Kirton. He is the head of the G7 research group at the University of Toronto, UkrInform reports.

“It is necessary for the G7 to continue pressuring India to stop purchasing Russian oil,” the expert says.

But it is equally important for the G7 countries to completely abandon imports of Russian energy resources, such as oil, coal, gas, and uranium.

“Canada, which holds the fifth-largest oil reserves in the world and is among the top three uranium producers, can help,” Kirton continues.

He emphasizes that Canada “can supply the US with all necessary isotopes so they do not depend on Russia or even Kazakhstan.”

“Although Kazakhstan may ultimately be closer to us than to Russia,” the expert believes.

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plan to meet during the G7 summit. This meeting will be their first encounter since April, when they had a 15-minute conversation before Pope Francis’ funeral.

After that meeting, Trump stated that Russia had no justification for recent attacks on Ukrainian civilian areas and suggested that the Russian leader might not want to end the war. Following the meeting, there were talks about imposing new sanctions on Russia, but the US did not enact them.

After their conversation, Moscow launched the largest attack on Ukraine’s city of Kremenchuk, targeting an oil refinery and the thermal power plant. Witnesses say the skies over the town turned red during 30 strikes. Ukraine extinguished the fire for at least eight hours.

Putin calls to congratulate Trump on his birthday — then launches hypersonic missiles on small Ukrainian city in one of largest attacks of war

On 12 June, US President Donald Trump said he is disappointed with both Ukraine and Russia for failing to reach a peace agreement, instead of pressuring Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine. 

Speaking to reporters at the White House, President Trump was asked how close he is to stepping back from the Russia-Ukraine War, and whether he would leave it “in the hands of Europeans.“

In response, Trump stated:

“I’m very disappointed in Russia, but I’m disappointed in Ukraine also because I think deals could have been made.”

Despite Russia’s previous rejection of a 30-day ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and ongoing escalation, Trump continued to place responsibility on both the aggressor and the invaded nation for the absence of a peace agreement.

He described the war as a “blood bath” and claimed, “we’re losing 5-6 thousand people a week, soldiers mostly but also people living in towns because they’re getting hit by missiles again. How’d you like to live in a building and think a missile has a good chance of hitting your building during the evening? It’s horrible.” 

Russia simply lying to Trump, Zelenskyy says

Trump touts past diplomatic efforts

Trump shifted to discussing other international conflicts, referencing alleged diplomatic achievements he claimed to have been involved in:

“We did great with India and Pakistan, we did very good with Israel.”

He mentioned the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and against claimed that “None of these things would have happened if I were president.”

Then Trump also criticized former President Joe Biden’s Iran policies, claiming that Iran “was broke” and “Biden immediately let them get rich—$300 billion they have right now,” which allegedly enabled Tehran to support Hamas and Hezbollah.

Then Trump said oil prices helped sustain Russia’s war:

“Oil went so high, got close to $100 a barrel… that kept the war going with Putin because at $100 a barrel, that was a big money-making experience.”

In an interview published on 12 June by German outlet Bild, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected reports of Russia’s large advances. He said the idea that Russia is winning the war is “a Russian narrative” and insisted Ukrainian forces have been repelling a renewed Russian push for nearly three weeks. The Russians are“not that successful, to say the least,” he added.

Zelenskyy dismissed the idea that recent drone strikes—up to 500 in number—allegedly are revenge for a Ukrainian operation Spiderweb that targeted Russian strategic bombers. He said Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is someone “looking for reasons to attack Ukraine. He simply does not want to end the war.”

Zelenskyy noted that the Russian population still supports Putin’s radical policies. “But he has to maintain the fire of information and hate,” Zelenskyy said. He argued that Putin frames his attacks as revenge to keep that support alive.

Russia’s two goals for fake diplomacy: avoid new sanctions and isolate Ukraine

According to Zelenskyy, the real reason for Moscow participation in Trump’s push for peace negotiations is to avoid new sanctions. He stated,

“It’s important for them to show Trump there’s a diplomatic bridge between Ukraine and Russia,” so that Russia can argue, “We are talking to each other! If sanctions are introduced, there will be no more talks.” He firmly added, Putin does not want peace.

Putin “gives the finger” to the entire world, Zelenskyy says after Trump’s call with Russian president

The second goal, Zelenskyy warned, is to sideline Europe and the US in talks and isolate Ukraine.

“A long war without partner support [for Ukraine]—for Putin that would be the perfect scenario,” he said. “A long war with partners and sanctions—he can’t survive that.”

Zelenskyy said he believes the former US president understands Russia’s dishonesty.

“President Trump sees that the Russian side is not completely open and honest about the war,” Zelenskyy told Bild. “I think that Russia is simply lying to Trump.”

Russia simply lying to Trump, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy calls for more sanctions against Russia

After months of military escalation, Zelenskyy emphasized the urgency of the new US sanctions package Trump has always threatened but has not yet implemented.

“Trump must introduce the sanctions so that Putin immediately says: ‘Let’s talk about ending the war,’” he said.

Zelenskyy acknowledged criticism of sanctions but argued delays gave Putin time to adjust. “This allowed him to adapt,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the economy and especially the defense industry had managed to recover.

Peace talks or war? Russia may choose both to avoid Western sanctions

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has revealed Russia’s real objectives in peace negotiations. On 9 June, he said that after talks in Istanbul, Moscow would continue to fight against Ukraine, but is ready to address humanitarian issues through diplomacy, TASS reports. 

Lavrov made this statement at the Future Forum 2050 in Moscow. 

“The special operation will be continued after negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul. However, Russia is ready to simultaneously advance the resolution of humanitarian issues through diplomacy,” Lavrov said.

One cannot exist if other does: Kremlin directly says war on Ukraine is about elimination, not land

At the same time, the Russian foreign minister added that Ukraine allegedly shows “growing terrorist threats.”

“Risks of growing terrorist threats exist. We see them and will do everything to ensure they are suppressed and do not harm our citizens,” he declared.

He also accused Britain of helping carry out attacks on targets within Russian territory, conveniently forgetting about Russia’s own strikes on Ukraine.

According to him, Ukraine “would be helpless without British support.” Lavrov also did not overlook the US’s involvement in the operation, according to UNIAN.

“Who knows, maybe US intelligence services are also involved, but the British—100%,” he said.

Also, Errol Musk, Elon Musk’s father, came to Moscow for the forum, Channel 24 reports. He praised Russia and Putin personally. He regretted not having visited Russia earlier, as it is “incredible.”

This is not his first statement of this kind. Previously, he argued that Putin “says logical things,” forgetting to mention that Russia’s war against Ukraine has killed nearly 13,000 civilians, including 618 children.

Ukrainian officials have denied Russian claims that Kyiv failed to participate in a prisoner of war (POW) exchange and body repatriation effort planned on 6 June, saying no official date had yet been agreed upon.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 7 June that Russian officials publicly accused Ukraine of refusing to engage in an exchange of POWs and bodies of killed in action (KIA) soldiers.

According to ISW, the claims were made by Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, Russian GRU Deputy Chief Alexander Zorin, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin. They alleged that Russia was prepared to hand over severely wounded and sick POWs, those under the age of 25, and approximately 6,000 KIA bodies as agreed in Istanbul on 2 June.

Zorin further claimed that Russian representatives had waited on the Belarusian border for the Ukrainian side to finalize technical details of the exchange. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova and Federation Council Committee Deputy Chair Andrei Klimov also echoed accusations that Ukraine refused to accept the return of the bodies.

Ukraine refutes Russian claims

In response, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs denied all Russian allegations. The office clarified that no date for the repatriation had yet been set and emphasized that lists for the POW exchange were still being finalized between both sides.

The Ukrainian headquarters reaffirmed Ukraine’s “full commitment” to constructive engagement aimed at ensuring the successful implementation of both the KIA repatriation and POW exchange agreements.

“The Kremlin’s unwillingness to engage in good faith in lower-level confidence building measures designed to facilitate larger peace negotiations further demonstrates Russia’s disinterest in peace negotiations,” ISW wrote.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said neither Ukraine nor its partners have clear information about Russia’s agenda for upcoming negotiations in Istanbul scheduled for 2 June, calling the situation “not very serious.”

“As of now, there is no clear information about what the Russians are going to Istanbul with. We don’t have it, Türkiye doesn’t have it, the USA doesn’t have it either, nor do other partners. And so far this looks not very serious,” Zelenskyy said in his evening address on 31 May.

The comments come ahead of a second round of peace talks proposed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. After the first round of direct talks on 16 May in Istanbul, Russia and Ukraine agreed to prepare memorandums detailing their conditions for peace. Lavrov announced that the Russian delegation would present its list of ceasefire conditions in Türkiye.

Ukraine has already transmitted its demands to Russia and called on Moscow to do the same. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov labeled Kyiv’s request as “unconstructive.”

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is preparing new diplomatic steps with European and American partners. The president maintains daily contact with allies, he said.

“Everyone in the world wants diplomacy to work and for there to be a real ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said. “Everyone wants serious peace, and Russia must go for it. This is exactly what the agenda of meetings should be. We gave our agenda. We hope that the American side will be decisive on sanctions to help peace.”

Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak confirmed on 30 May that Ukraine is ready to participate in the next meeting with the Russian delegation in Istanbul.

Kyiv said it was committed to the search for peace, but that it was waiting for a memorandum from the Russian side setting out their proposals.

The upcoming talks follow the first direct high-level negotiations between the two countries since 2022. The Russian delegation said after the meeting that it was satisfied with the talks and that negotiations will continue with each side presenting its detailed vision for a ceasefire.

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Russian officials are controlling the pace and conditions of peace negotiations with Ukraine while attempting to shift blame for delays, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on 28 May that Russia would present its peace memorandum at a 2 June meeting in Istanbul. He claimed Russia’s memorandum addresses the “root causes” of the war, which he previously defined as “NATO expansion and Ukraine’s alleged discrimination against Russian speakers.”

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov responded that Ukraine is ready for negotiations and has already submitted its memorandum to Russia. However, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed on 29 May that Russia has not received Ukraine’s document.

Russia is forcing Ukraine to make concessions on timing and location, ISW reported on 29 May. Putin initially suggested resuming 2022 Istanbul talks but rejected Zelenskyy’s proposal for a face-to-face meeting. Ukraine’s willingness to meet in Istanbul was itself a major concession, as it fits Putin’s narrative of resuming protocols where Russia demanded Ukraine’s surrender.

President Trump suggested moving talks to the Vatican, but Russian officials rejected this and continue insisting on Istanbul meetings.

Ukraine, the US and European states have called for Russia to agree to a renewable ceasefire before negotiations begin. The Kremlin has rejected these calls, demanding negotiations address both ceasefire and long-term peace simultaneously.

US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg told Fox News on 27 May that the US received Ukraine’s memorandum and is waiting for Russia’s version.

ISW assessed that Russian officials are withholding their memorandum until 2 June. They may blame Ukraine for stalling negotiations if Ukraine refuses to attend without receiving Russia’s document in advance. Russian forces will continue pressing along the frontline to extract additional concessions during negotiations, according to the ISW report.

US President Donald Trump revealed during a recent press conference that he cannot determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin genuinely seeks to conclude the war in Ukraine.

Trump also indicated his willingness to participate in potential discussions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin if required. 

“Within two weeks we are going to find out very soon if he [Putin] is tapping us along or not. If he is, we will respond a little bit differently,” Trump stated. 

The American president cited recent Russia’s violence as grounds for his skepticism, stating he feels “very disappointed by what has been happening these past few nights, when people are being killed in the middle of what you would call negotiations.”

The American leader criticized ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, stating that missile strikes against urban areas are unacceptable. Trump questioned Putin’s motivations, saying he doesn’t understand what has changed about the Russian leader, given that “he’s killing a lot of people.”

Following a deadly Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine that killed at least 12 civilians on 25 May, Trump publicly condemned Putin, calling him “crazy” and expressing consideration of new sanctions against Russia.

However, Trump also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of causing problems with his rhetoric, and blamed both Zelenskyy and President Joe Biden for the continuation of the war, which he claimed would not have started under his leadership.

The Trump’s team also issued an ultimatum that the US will withdraw from negotiations if Russia and Ukraine do not enter direct peace negotiations soon.

Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg called on Russia to implement an immediate ceasefire following threats of World War III from a senior Russian official.

The exchange began when Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev responded to Trump’s recent comments that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “playing with fire” and that “very bad things” were happening to Russia.

Medvedev warned that he knew of only “one VERY BAD thing – World War III,” adding that he hoped “Trump understands this,” according to his post on social media platform X.

Kellogg characterized Medvedev’s statement as “an unfortunate and reckless comment” that was “unfitting of a world power.”

The special envoy emphasized that President Trump is “working to stop this war and end the killing.”

According to Kellogg, the US is still awaiting a Russian memorandum containing Moscow’s terms for a potential agreement, which he said Russia had promised to deliver a week earlier.

“We await receipt of RU Memorandum (Term Sheet) that you promised a week ago. Cease fire now,” Kellogg stated.

According to Kellogg’s previous statements, the US received a list of conditions from Kyiv regarding ending the war but had not yet received corresponding terms from Moscow.

Ukraine’s terms emphasize a full ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and security guarantees, while firmly rejecting Russian demands such as territorial concessions or recognition of Russian sovereignty over occupied regions. Moscow also insists on Ukraine abandoning NATO membership plans, adopting neutrality, lifting some Western sanctions, and providing protections for Russian-speaking populations.

Kyiv continues to consider venues like the Vatican for negotiations, though Russia has rejected this option.