Zelensky talks military issues, diplomatic efforts on conflict with Russia with Lithuanian president

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he discussed military issues and diplomatic efforts related to the conflict with Russia with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda during a meeting in Vilnius.

In a Telegram post, Zelensky said he travelled to the Lithuanian capital earlier in the day with his wife, Olena Zelenska, and that the conversation will continue later on Sunday with the participation of Polish representatives.

"Today in Vilnius we are coordinating with our partners in the region-Lithuania and Poland. We work with every leader to strengthen Ukraine," he said. "Separately, we discussed military cooperation, joint defense projects and Lithuania's proposals to open an arms export platform in Vilnius, support for the PURL initiative and cooperation within the SAFE program."

The PURL initiative (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List), launched last July, is a NATO program in which allies fund the purchase of US weapons and equipment for Ukraine.

The Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program, adopted last May, is a €150 billion ($177 billion) EU initiative designed to rapidly scale up defense procurement, allowing Ukraine to participate directly in joint purchasing.

Zelensky then accused Russia of targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure, reporting that Moscow launched more than 1,700 drones against various targets in Ukraine this week.

"Therefore, missiles for air defense systems are needed on a daily basis, and we continue to work with America and Europe to ensure more protection of the sky," he added.

Zelensky also said he told Nauseda details of two days of Russia-US-Ukraine consultations held on Friday and Saturday in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

"Our diplomacy is also among the most important issues of the negotiations … Ukraine, as always, is doing everything possible on its part to end the war," he said.

On Friday and Saturday, Russia and Ukraine discussed options for a possible peace settlement with US mediation in talks hosted by the UAE.

According to US media, the Trump administration called the talks "productive," with the territorial issue seen as the most complex item on the table.