Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly commented for the first time on the course of his latest negotiations with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, describing them as 'absolutely positive.' According to him, the meeting allowed the two sides to discuss a wide range of important issues, and the format of the dialogue had been prepared in advance and was a working one. The statement came against the backdrop of reports by several media outlets that described the negotiations as 'tense' and linked them to demands put forward by Brussels to Kyiv.
Denial of conflict rumors
The head of state emphasized that he would not call this meeting difficult, since it had been prepared: before the face-to-face meeting, the sides had already held phone calls and discussed key topics. Thus, Zelensky effectively refuted the narrative of a number of Ukrainian and foreign publications that claimed von der Leyen had put forward a set of conditions to the president, the fulfillment of which is necessary for obtaining further financial assistance from the European Union.
War financing and 'linking' to laws
According to Zelensky, the focus of the two sides was the financing shortfall caused by the rising cost of the war. The linking of part of European financing to the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of a number of important laws was discussed separately. The Ukrainian president explained to his counterpart that the parliament cannot operate in the usual mode under martial law, which objectively limits the pace of the legislative process.
Agreement on the second tranche and funds for drones
At the end of the conversation, Zelensky reported that an agreement had been reached: in Brussels, they promised to 'sit down and think' about how to cover part of the funds through the second tranche and bring their arrival forward. The president directly pointed to the priority — 'we need money for drones,' which underscores the defense orientation of Kyiv's request. Earlier, Zelensky also talked about how he had tried to agree with US President Donald Trump on strengthening Ukraine's air defense and admitted that he had to gather hundreds of missiles from allies 'bit by bit.'
Contradictory data
It is important to note the discrepancy in the versions here. On the one hand, Zelensky consistently insists that the meeting was positive, prepared, and constructive. On the other hand, a number of publications (including those citing their own sources) described the negotiations in New York as tense, noting an exchange of sharp remarks and a 'loss of patience' on the part of allies, and also claiming that Brussels had effectively made the allocation of aid dependent on the fulfillment of a number of conditions. Both points of view remain in open contradiction as of the time of publication: the official position of Kyiv denies the 'tension,' while independent and foreign media continue to insist on the opposite. Until additional confirmation emerges, both versions should be considered as competing.
