WORLD NEWS
The United States has set a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace agreement to end the nearly four-year war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday.
“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 in Kyiv on Friday, in comments embargoed until Saturday.
President Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly insisted on a clear timeline for all steps in the negotiation process and proposed holding the next round of trilateral talks next week in the US, likely in Miami. Ukraine has confirmed it will attend.
Trump had promised to end the war within 24 hours when he took office, but more than a year later, a settlement remains elusive. Critics have accused the former president of leaning toward Russia’s narrative and maximalist demands under pressure from President Vladimir Putin.
Trilateral Talks and Prisoner Swaps
The new deadline follows US-mediated trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, which yielded little progress due to entrenched positions. The Kremlin insists Ukraine withdraw from the eastern Donbas region, comprising Donetsk and Luhansk — a demand Kyiv firmly rejects, noting that its constitution forbids ceding territory.
Despite the stalemate, both sides agreed to a prisoner-of-war exchange, with 157 prisoners handed over by each side on February 5. Zelenskyy confirmed that POW swaps will continue under the agreement.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who co-led the American mediation team alongside Jared Kushner, said that while “significant work remains” in peace talks, the prisoner exchange showed that “sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible results and advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine.”
Renewed Russian Attacks
While negotiations continue, Ukraine reports that Russia has intensified its attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said that Russia launched “more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles” overnight, targeting power stations, pipelines, and energy facilities.
“It is crucial that everyone who supports the trilateral negotiations respond to this,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “Moscow must be deprived of the ability to use the cold as leverage against Ukraine.”
Since mid-January, Russia has repeatedly targeted energy infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without heat or electricity at various times. On February 3, Russia launched one of its largest attacks of the year, deploying 71 missiles and 450 drones on Kyiv and Kharkiv, despite a temporary agreement to halt energy strikes.
Ukraine’s Air Force said only 38 missiles were intercepted, as many were ballistic, while Russia claimed it targeted drone storage facilities and defense-related enterprises. Emergency crews continue efforts to restore power, including 200 crews working to repair damage to 1,100 buildings in Kyiv.
Outlook
While US-mediated diplomacy sets a June target for a possible peace deal, Russia’s ongoing military strikes underscore the high stakes and fragile nature of negotiations. Ukrainian officials emphasize that diplomatic progress must be matched with efforts to prevent Russia from exploiting energy shortages as a tool of war.
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