US set June deadline for Ukraine-Russia peace deal: Zelenskyy

Story by  PTI | Posted by  Vidushi Gaur | Date 07-02-2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

 

Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the United States has asked both Ukraine and Russia to reach an agreement to end the war by June, warning that Washington may apply pressure on both sides if the timeline is not met.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, with his remarks released on Saturday, Zelenskyy said the Trump administration wants a clear roadmap to conclude the conflict by early summer.

“The Americans are proposing that the war be ended by the beginning of summer. They have said clearly that they want everything completed by June and that they will apply pressure accordingly,” he said.

Zelenskyy also revealed that the US has suggested holding the next round of trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States next week on American soil, possibly in Miami. Ukraine has confirmed its participation, he added.

According to Zelenskyy, Russia has put forward a sweeping economic proposal worth an estimated USD 12 trillion, referred to by Kyiv as the “Dmitriev package”, named after Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Economic cooperation between Moscow and Washington is reportedly being discussed as part of the broader negotiation framework.

Meanwhile, Russia continued its large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said Moscow launched more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles overnight, targeting power generation facilities, transmission networks and substations.

Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state energy transmission operator, said the assault marked the second major strike on energy infrastructure this year. The attack hit eight facilities across eight regions and forced all nuclear power plants operating in government-controlled territory to reduce output.

“As a result of missile strikes on critical high-voltage substations, nuclear power plants were compelled to lower production,” Ukrenergo said, adding that the country’s power deficit has grown sharply. Authorities were forced to extend rolling power cuts nationwide.

The June deadline follows recent US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi that failed to produce a breakthrough, as both sides continue to hold incompatible positions. Russia is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas region, a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

“Ukraine has once again confirmed its stance on Donbas. We remain firm, and this position remains the most realistic basis for a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the most difficult issues would likely be addressed only at a leaders’-level meeting.

He also said there was no agreement on the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and expressed doubts over a US proposal to convert Donbas into a free economic zone as a compromise.

Zelenskyy said discussions had also focused on how a ceasefire could be monitored, noting that Washington has reaffirmed its willingness to oversee verification mechanisms.

The Ukrainian leader added that the US has again proposed a halt to strikes on energy infrastructure. Kyiv is prepared to comply if Moscow does the same, but Zelenskyy said a previous US-brokered pause collapsed within days after Russia resumed attacks.

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Russia’s sustained aerial campaign against Ukraine’s power grid has intensified in recent months, triggering widespread blackouts and disrupting heating and water supplies during the harsh winter, further straining civilian life.