Ukraine‘s Zelenskyy to lobby for support against Russia at G7

Russian's overnight attacks on several Ukraine cities leave 11 civilians dead and one of the oldest landmarks in Eastern Orthodox Christianity engulfed in flames.

This as G7 leaders are set to gather in France where the Russia-Ukraine war is on the agenda.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's EU membership talks officially open in Luxembourg.

Arriving in France for the Group of Seven Summit, US President Donald Trump says he had good conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir

Putin ahead of the talks.

Trump says with the Iran conflict "finished," the focus will now be on the Russia-Ukraine war.

However, the optimism from Trump did not stop Russia from launching a large-scale overnight attacks in Kyiv and Kharkiv, leaving 11 civilians dead and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, an 11th-century monastery complex damaged.

In a social media post, Zelenskyy refers to the attack on civilian as Russia showing the world "its intention to continue the war."

Russia's Defense Ministry says the strikes targeted defence and industrial facilities including workshops producing components for long-range drones and cruise missiles and a radar plant.

The war in Ukraine is set to feature in talks Tuesday by G7 leaders. Zelenskyy has arrived to engage in the talks. He says more pressure is needed from G7 countries to provide "more support for Ukraine's air defence, especially anti-ballistic capabilities."

Zelenskyy has offered to meet Putin with Trump and European leaders at the G7 gathering but the Kremlin didn't reply.

The Kremlin has said repeatedly that if Zelenskyy wants to meet Putin, he can go to Moscow.

In Luxembourg, Ukraine's European Union membership negotiations launch a process that will require the Ukrainian government to commit to years of political reforms in exchange, even as it fights a Russian invasion.

At the meeting, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka, says membership would be like "formalisation of an invisible dream" and a strong security guarantee for his country against Russia.