Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, warning that failure to halt military cooperation with Russia along their shared border will trigger unspecified consequences. The demand, reported on Friday, follows escalating tensions as Kyiv accuses Minsk of facilitating Russian troop movements and logistical support for Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelenskyy reiterated his call for the European Union to fast-track Ukraine’s membership, arguing that this remains the surest path to securing Europe’s future amid the ongoing conflict. “The best way to guarantee Europe’s future would be fast-track EU membership for Ukraine,” he stated, a position echoed in multiple interviews published on Saturday.

The ultimatum to Lukashenko comes as EU leaders remain deeply divided over whether to reopen dialogue with Moscow, despite repeated demands for a full, unconditional Russian ceasefire. On Thursday, EU leaders reaffirmed their “firm and unwavering support” for Ukraine and insisted that any peace process must include Kyiv and respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Russia, however, has rejected the notion of ultimatums, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stating in a June 19 article that Moscow is open to dialogue but will not accept demands imposed from outside. “We are ready for talks, but not for ultimatums,” Lavrov wrote in an op-ed titled *Ukraine, Europe and Global Security*.

The internal EU debate over engagement with Russia has intensified, with some member states reportedly pursuing backchannel communications with the Kremlin. Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa’s reported outreach to Moscow has sparked outrage in Eastern Europe, particularly in Estonia, where the prime minister condemned the move as a betrayal of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy also indicated that negotiations with Russia may resume, though the format remains undecided. He emphasized that Ukraine’s European partners favor a joint negotiating track with the United States, stressing that Kyiv seeks security guarantees and EU membership as prerequisites for any lasting peace.

Meanwhile, the EU is exploring alternative energy and trade corridors, including a revived India-Middle East-Europe corridor, as a response to ongoing disruptions in global energy markets following recent conflicts in the Middle East.

As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, the continent’s political fault lines are widening, with divisions over strategy toward Moscow threatening to undermine the bloc’s unity just as Kyiv presses for decisive action on membership and security.

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Articles

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