UKRAINE PERSPECTIVE

Kyiv scrutinizes every detail of the Évian protocol, because the form of the Trump-Zelensky meeting says much about the real weight given to Ukraine. The Ukrainian press registers a heavy nuance: Trump and Zelensky will meet on June 16, but only in a joint leaders' 'working session' — no separate bilateral is planned. The distinction is cruel set against the American president's agenda, which does include bilaterals with Macron, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt and India: Ukraine is not on that list of one-on-ones. The Ukrainian question will be taken up in the very first working session, and the summit could become a platform to discuss 'paths to peace' with Russia, the format now deemed most realistic being 'Ukraine, Russia, the United States and Europe.' A US official, speaking anonymously, lets slip that Russian gains at the front 'have more or less stopped' and that Washington 'wants the war to end as soon as possible' — a phrase Kyiv reads warily, aware that an American eagerness to close the conflict quickly can serve its interests or undercut them. Ukrainian coverage also notes that Trump will hold a separate bilateral with Macron upon his arrival on June 16, before being hosted at a Versailles dinner on June 17: marks of regard Kyiv will not enjoy. For Ukraine, whose survival depends on sustaining Western attention and support, this G7 is a test: being in the room is not enough if one is denied the one-on-one reserved for the partners Trump deems a priority. Zelensky's very presence at the Seven's table remains, nonetheless, a diplomatic gain Kyiv is keen to preserve.