Kyiv is stepping up its diplomatic campaign to compel Moscow to engage in direct negotiations to end the full-scale invasion. Speaking in Tallinn on Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined a strategy to convince the Kremlin that prolonging the war offers no advantage.
“Ukraine’s positions on the front line are strong. Russia is losing more than 30,000 of its soldiers every month, either killed or seriously wounded,” Zelenskyy said during the Nordic-Baltic summit. He argued that Ukraine’s intensified long-range strikes deep into Russian territory are another lever to pressure Moscow. “Our long-range impact on Russian logistics, Russian oil refining and Russian military production is also significant,” he added, noting that parts of annexed Crimea and Russia itself are experiencing fuel shortages and disrupted communications.
Zelenskyy also pointed to Russia’s strained finances: “The Russian budget is in tatters. We must keep up the pressure and bring Russia back onto the diplomatic track.”
Building a United European Front
The Ukrainian leader arrived in Estonia after an E3 meeting in London with the leaders of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. With a G7 meeting in France scheduled next week and an EU summit in Brussels on 18–19 June, Zelenskyy is working to secure a strong European role in any future negotiations. “Yesterday in the E3 format, today in our NB8 format, and later at the EU summit, we will be discussing precisely this – how Europe should conduct itself in the negotiations and when there might be real progress in these talks,” he said. “Europe needs a real and strong voice in the negotiations and must be among those who will make the decisions.”
Zelenskyy also addressed the United States’ role, noting that despite Washington’s shifting focus to the Middle East, it remains engaged. “America is ready to engage actively in the diplomatic processes – I discussed this yesterday with representatives of the US President.”
The Kremlin, however, has pushed back. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed the US-led mediation process is “currently on hold” and dismissed the possibility of EU representatives participating in talks. “As for the Europeans’ role as mediators, it seems they are still, as it were, far from being ready to act as mediators,” Peskov said, repeating allegations that European leaders are “far more focused on the continuation of the war than on peace talks.”
Drone Cooperation with Latvia
Zelenskyy’s visit and the summit come amid tensions over drone incursions in the Baltic region. In recent weeks, drones have crashed into a power plant chimney in Estonia, hit empty fuel tanks in Latvia, and been shot down by Romanian fighter jets stationed in Lithuania. Ukrainian officials apologized, explaining that the drones were aimed at military targets inside Russia but were diverted by Russian electronic interference.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy announced a drone deal with Latvia after talks with the country’s new Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs. “These are concrete things to strengthen our joint defence and co-production, and, importantly, this also means Ukraine’s expertise and experience helping to strengthen our partners,” he wrote.
Estonian President Alar Karis noted that using fighter jets to shoot down drones is prohibitively expensive and expressed hope for a partnership with Ukraine to develop cheaper solutions. Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s readiness, drawing on experience from the Middle East, where Kyiv sent expert teams to train local forces. “We did this in the Middle East and it worked,” he said. He offered low-cost interceptor drones and expert teams to European partners “at any moment.”
The diplomatic push and regional cooperation underscore Ukraine’s determination to maintain pressure on Russia while securing a seat at the table for Europe in any peace process. As Russian drone attacks continue to hit civilian areas, the need for a coordinated European response remains urgent.
