Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States is exploring whether Russia and Ukraine can take steps to reduce hostilities during the winter, adding that U.S. envoys returned from Moscow with indications that Russia is prepared to continue negotiations despite the ongoing war.
Speaking after the recent visits of U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv, Zelensky said Washington is assessing possible confidence-building measures that could ease tensions during the coming winter. He described the discussions as part of broader U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to revive peace negotiations.
According to Axios, Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin is counting on another harsh winter to increase pressure on Ukraine by targeting the country’s energy infrastructure and weakening public resilience.
At the same time, Zelensky said the message delivered by the U.S. delegation was that Russia appears willing to negotiate. He cautioned that no agreement has been reached and that Kyiv remains focused on securing a just and lasting peace rather than accepting a temporary settlement.
The Ukrainian president also said another round of trilateral talks involving the United States, Ukraine and Russia is under consideration, although no date or final decision has been announced. The proposed meeting would follow recent diplomatic contacts between U.S. officials and the Kremlin.
The diplomatic push comes after Putin ordered a 72-hour pause in Russian strikes on Kyiv during the U.S. envoys’ visit, a move both Moscow and Washington described as facilitating the talks. However, fighting has continued in other parts of Ukraine despite the temporary suspension of attacks on the capital.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and the war has continued for more than four years with no comprehensive ceasefire in place. Despite renewed diplomatic engagement, major disagreements over territory, security guarantees and the terms of a peace settlement continue to stand in the way of ending Europe’s largest war in decades.
