U.S. Sets June Deadline for Ukraine-Russia Peace Deal, Zelenskyy Says
Kyiv, Ukraine – The United States has given Ukraine and Russia until June to reach an agreement to end the nearly four-year-long war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday. His comments came as Russia continued strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, forcing the country’s nuclear power plants to reduce output.
Zelenskyy indicated that if the June deadline is missed, the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump would likely increase pressure on both Kyiv and Moscow to come to terms. “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,” Zelenskyy told reporters Friday, according to the Associated Press. “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.”
The Ukrainian president also revealed that the U.S. Has proposed holding another round of trilateral talks next week, potentially in Florida and Ukraine has agreed to participate. He emphasized Ukraine’s need for results and effective security guarantees, stating, “Ukraine did not start this war; It’s Russia that must bring it to an end.”
Amidst the diplomatic efforts, Russia launched a barrage of attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure overnight, impacting nuclear power generation. “Ukrenergo” reported that the attack was the second mass strike on the energy infrastructure since the beginning of the year, forcing all nuclear power plants in Ukrainian-controlled territories to reduce their load.
The attacks resulted in widespread power outages and disruptions to heating and water supplies. In the city of Burshtyn, in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, the local thermal power plant ceased operations due to damage, leaving residents without water and heat, according to Mayor Vasyl Andrieshin. “The damage is very serious, the station is now at zero. We are just starting to clear the rubble… However, we see that we have no heat, we have no water,” Andrieshin said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi also expressed concern, stating on X that all Ukrainian nuclear power plants had reduced power output and disconnected some power lines. He urged restraint in attacks on the energy system, warning that damage to power networks poses a threat to nuclear safety.
Zelenskyy stated that the U.S. Has again proposed a ceasefire contingent on a halt to attacks on energy infrastructure, and Ukraine is prepared to abide by such a truce if Russia offers reciprocal commitments. However, he noted that a previous U.S.-proposed week-long pause was broken by Russia after only four days.
Zelenskyy also disclosed that Russia has presented the U.S. With a $12 trillion economic proposal, dubbed the “Dmitriev package” after Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. He indicated that bilateral economic deals with the U.S. Are part of the broader negotiation process.
Negotiations remain stalled over key issues, particularly the status of the Donbas region. Russia continues to demand that Ukraine withdraw its forces from Donbas, a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s position, stating, “We stand where we stand – this is the most fair and reliable model for a ceasefire today, in our opinion.”
He also expressed skepticism about a U.S. Proposal to establish a free economic zone in the Donbas region as a compromise, saying, “I don’t know if this can be implemented, because when we talked about a free economic zone, we had different views on this.”
Zelenskyy added that discussions during the latest round of negotiations included how technical monitoring of a ceasefire would be implemented, with the U.S. Confirming its willingness to play a role in that process. He also noted concerns that some bilateral discussions between the U.S. And Russia might impact Ukraine, asserting that Ukraine will not support any agreements made without its involvement.
The announcement of the deadline followed trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, mediated by the U.S., which failed to yield a breakthrough.
