Ukraine and Russia are said to be operating under a U.S.-imposed deadline to secure a peace deal that would end the nearly four-year conflict.
According to The Associated Press, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told journalists on Friday that Washington had established a June deadline for Moscow and Kyiv to reach an agreement. The news organization reported that Zelenskyy’s comments were under embargo until Saturday morning.
Zelenskyy stated, per the AP, “The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer and will probably put pressure on the parties precisely according to this schedule.” The Ukrainian leader also indicated that if the June deadline is not met, the Trump administration would likely apply pressure on both Moscow and Kyiv to comply.
The AP reported that Zelenskyy added, “And they say that they want to do everything by June. And they will do everything to end the war. And they want a clear schedule of all events.”
On Friday, Zelenskyy posted a statement saying that Ukraine’s negotiators “report on the sensitive aspects of the negotiations in Abu Dhabi that cannot be discussed over the phone.” He noted that Ukraine was preparing for “next meetings,” which he described as “trilateral.”
The AP reported that the Ukrainian president told journalists the U.S. had offered to host the summit, possibly in Miami, and that Ukraine had already agreed to take part.
President Trump expressed optimism regarding the Russia-Ukraine negotiations on Friday while talking to reporters aboard Air Force One.
Trump said, “We have very good talks going with Russia and Ukraine.”
In a summary of the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi held on Feb. 4 and 5, the U.S. characterized the discussions as “constructive” and said they focused on establishing “the conditions for a durable peace.” Washington also stated that the delegations had agreed that Russia and Ukraine would each release 157 prisoners of war, marking what it called “the first exchange in the last five months.”
Furthermore, the U.S. announced that it and Russia had agreed to establish a new communication channel through a military-to-military dialogue to be led by General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of U.S. European Command. According to Washington, this dialogue had been suspended before the war in Ukraine, and it emphasized that restoring it was “crucial to achieving and maintaining peace.”
Despite apparent progress, the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, with Moscow targeting Kyiv’s energy infrastructure as the country endures a harsh winter. Sources reported on Saturday that the overnight assault included 400 drones and about 40 “missiles of various types.” The Ukrainian president stated that an apartment building and a college administrative building were struck.
Zelenskyy said, “Every day, Russia could choose real diplomacy, but it chooses new strikes. It is crucial that everyone who supports the trilateral negotiations respond to this. Moscow must be deprived of the ability to use the cold as leverage against Ukraine. This requires missiles for Patriot, NASAMS, and other systems. Every shipment helps us get through this winter.”
“I thank all our partners who understand this and are genuinely helping,” he added.
Trump had previously stated that Russian President Putin had agreed to temporarily halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, pointing to the severely cold weather.
The publication reached out to the White House and the State Department for comment.