Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Photo: Reuters/Maxim Shemetov

i24 News – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Sunday in Brussels with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who hosted him at her main office. The visit came as US President Donald Trump suggested “significant progress” in talks with Russia, urging the public to “stay tuned” following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

At a joint press conference, von der Leyen pledged the EU’s continued backing for Kyiv. “We will support Ukraine as long as it is required, for a just and lasting peace. There can be no restrictions on the armed forces of Ukraine,” she said. The Commission president called for Ukraine to become a “steel porcupine” against its enemies, stressing investment in the defense industry, particularly drones, and declaring: “International borders cannot be changed by force.”

Von der Leyen also announced plans to advance the EU’s 19th package of sanctions against Russia by September, insisting that “only Ukraine can choose its own fate.” She added that the bloc would do everything possible to support an eventual agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.

Meanwhile, senior US officials signaled an American push toward a negotiated settlement. Trump’s Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, told CNN that the president seeks “a ceasefire and a quick peace agreement that will guarantee protection for European countries.” He claimed the Alaska summit yielded “significant security guarantees” for Ukraine and confirmed Washington would discuss potential territorial compromises with Kyiv.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio, speaking on NBC and ABC, described a complex road to peace. “For the war to end, there are things Russia wants that it cannot get, and there are things Ukraine wants that it will not achieve,” he said. While noting that a ceasefire “is still on the table,” Rubio warned that Moscow has yet to agree. He stressed that if no deal is reached, Russia could face “further consequences, including severe sanctions.”