Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the United States is seeking to bring the war with Russia to an end by June, revealing that Washington has invited both Kyiv and Moscow to participate in talks on US soil next week.
According to Zelensky, the proposal marks the first time the US has suggested direct negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in America. The talks are expected to take place in Miami, and Ukraine has already agreed to attend. At the time of reporting, neither Washington nor Moscow had publicly commented on the proposal.
Since returning to office more than a year ago, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to end the conflict. Zelensky’s remarks come as diplomatic efforts continue alongside ongoing fighting on the ground.
The Ukrainian leader was speaking after the conclusion of a second round of US-mediated peace discussions held in Abu Dhabi, which ended on Friday without any major breakthrough. Zelensky acknowledged that core disagreements remain unresolved, particularly over territorial concessions that Ukraine is being pressured to consider.
He also confirmed that, for the first time, the parties discussed the idea of a possible trilateral meeting involving the leaders of Ukraine, Russia and the United States. However, he cautioned that such a summit would require significant preparatory work before it could take place.
When asked about a possible deadline for a peace deal, Zelensky said US officials had indicated they wanted progress by June. He suggested that domestic political factors in the United States, including the upcoming midterm elections, could be influencing the proposed timeline.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Russia has continued to carry out large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian officials report that power plants, substations and major transmission lines have been targeted, leading to widespread electricity shortages during harsh winter conditions.
Ukraine’s state energy operator, Ukrenergo, said the latest strikes had significantly increased the country’s power deficit. Emergency electricity imports have been requested from neighbouring Poland to stabilise the grid.
Zelensky said the most recent overnight assault involved more than 400 drones and 40 missiles. While Ukrainian air defences intercepted the majority, several strikes caused damage across multiple regions, including Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, leaving thousands of residents without electricity.
Energy company DTEK said its facilities had faced their tenth major attack since October 2025, describing the latest strikes as the most severe so far this year. Ukrainian authorities also reported casualties and damage to homes and critical infrastructure in several regions.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued its own strikes inside Russia, reportedly targeting an industrial facility linked to missile fuel production and an oil depot. Moscow has not commented on these claims.
As winter conditions persist, Zelensky accused Russia of using cold weather as a weapon, calling on allies to ensure Moscow cannot exploit energy shortages to pressure Ukraine. Russia, for its part, has accused Kyiv of undermining peace efforts, an allegation Ukraine rejects.
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