US proposes Russia-Ukraine war end by summer, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed on Saturday that the United States has set an ambitious diplomatic timetable aimed at concluding the nearly four-year war with Russia. According to Zelenskyy, American mediators are proposing that hostilities end "by the beginning of this summer" and intend to exert pressure on both parties to meet this schedule, a timeline the Ukrainian leader links to the upcoming US midterm election cycle.

Details of the US diplomatic push

Zelenskyy, in remarks to Ukrainian media, outlined several elements of the American initiative. He confirmed that the US has offered to host, for the first time, a direct meeting between Russian and Ukrainian negotiating teams, stating it will take place "probably in Miami, in a week." Furthermore, the US has suggested that both sides reaffirm support for President Donald Trump's earlier initiative to halt strikes on energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy noted that Kyiv has confirmed its support, but Moscow has yet to respond.

Context of recent talks and political pressure

This new push follows two recent rounds of trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the US in Abu Dhabi, which yielded a prisoner exchange—the first in five months. Zelenskyy acknowledged that "internal issues" in the US are influencing the proposed summer deadline, suggesting the looming midterm election campaign is a driving factor behind Washington's urgency to secure a diplomatic outcome. This indicates the Trump administration views a resolution as a significant foreign policy priority ahead of the domestic political season.

Broader implications and challenges

The proposed timeline and the shift of talks to American soil represent a significant escalation of direct US involvement in the peace process. However, achieving a final settlement by summer would require bridging profound differences on core issues like security guarantees, borders, and the status of occupied territories. While the increased US engagement signals a serious attempt to broker peace, the compressed schedule and linkage to US domestic politics also raise questions about the sustainability and depth of any potential agreement that might be reached under such pressure.