Brussels: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday engaged in discussions with European leaders in Brussels, preceding the upcoming 'Coalition of the Willing' meeting. The Ukrainian leader's visit included participation in a European Council meeting, where the bloc announced its 19th sanctions package targeting Russia. Prior to Brussels, Zelenskyy visited Norway and Sweden.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy conducted discussions on the sidelines of the European Council meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa and held separate meetings with the prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, and Italy. He also met with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Zelenskyy emphasized the urgency of ending the conflict with Russia, highlighting the importance of increasing pressure on Russia, expanding support for Ukraine, and securing safety guarantees. He shared these sentiments on the US social media platform X following his meeting with Macron, where they discussed the impacts of Russian airstrikes and strategies to enhance Ukraine's air defense and energy stability.

Defense cooperation was a significant focus, with discussions on specific measures to strengthen Ukraine. In a subsequent meeting with Merz, Zelenskyy explored ways to improve Ukraine's air defense and coordinated actions ahead of the 'Coalition of the Willing' meeting in London. He expressed reliance on Germany for leadership in supporting Ukraine's energy sector and discussed the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's defense.