Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the United States wants the war between Ukraine and Russia to end by June and has invited both sides to take part in talks in the US next week. Speaking to reporters, Zelensky said Washington had, for the first time, proposed a direct meeting between Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams, likely to be held in Miami. Ukraine has confirmed it will attend.
There was no immediate response from either Moscow or Washington, but US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to bring the conflict to a close since returning to office. Zelensky said the comments followed a second round of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, which ended without a breakthrough. He acknowledged that “difficult issues remained difficult,” especially the question of territorial concessions.
The Ukrainian leader also revealed that the sides discussed, for the first time, the possibility of a future trilateral meeting involving national leaders, though he stressed that significant preparation would be required. Asked about a deadline, Zelensky said the Americans were aiming to conclude an agreement by June, partly due to political pressures in the US ahead of midterm elections.
Meanwhile, Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing widespread power outages during freezing weather. Ukraine says hundreds of drones and missiles were launched, hitting power plants and substations, while Kyiv has also reported strikes on targets inside Russia.
