Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for his "heartfelt congratulations" on the country's independence day, as Washington presses on with its efforts to broker a deal to end three and a half years of war in Ukraine.

Why It Matters

Zelensky and Trump have had a fraught relationship, but one that appears to have improved since the infamous White House meeting in February this year. Zelensky, flanked by senior European leaders, visited Washington on Monday after Trump returned from his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin .

The White House has been reluctant to strong-arm Moscow into negotiating an end to the war in eastern Europe, but Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with the Kremlin. The Republican on Friday floated the thr

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