The United States has proposed that Ukraine and Russia bring their nearly four-year-old war to an end by June and has offered to host fresh peace talks between the two sides as early as next week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Speaking to reporters in comments made public on Saturday, Zelensky disclosed that Washington had suggested a direct meeting between Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams in the United States, possibly in Miami, within the coming week.
“The United States has proposed for the first time that the two negotiating teams Ukraine and Russia meet in the United States, probably in Miami, in a week’s time,” Zelensky said.
“They say that they want to do everything by June.”
The proposal comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts by the administration of US President Donald Trump to push both Moscow and Kyiv toward a negotiated settlement of the conflict. In recent weeks, the United States has facilitated talks between the two sides in Abu Dhabi, including discussions that led to agreements on prisoner exchanges.
However, progress toward a broader peace deal has remained limited.
One of the main sticking points remains territorial control.
Russia currently occupies about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory and is reportedly demanding full control of the eastern Donetsk region as part of any agreement.
Ukraine, however, has rejected any deal that would leave it vulnerable to future Russian aggression.
Zelensky reiterated that Kyiv would not accept an agreement that fails to provide firm security guarantees against another invasion.
He also expressed concern that Ukraine could be sidelined in negotiations involving major powers.
The Ukrainian leader warned that he would not tolerate the United States and Russia reaching decisions behind Kyiv’s back, particularly on issues affecting Ukraine’s sovereignty.
In addition to territorial disputes, Zelensky said talks have stalled over the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian occupation since 2022.
According to him, both sides have so far failed to reach a “common understanding” on control of the facility.
Zelensky has repeatedly voiced frustration that Ukraine is being asked to make greater concessions than Russia in the push for peace, even as the war continues to exact a heavy toll on lives, infrastructure and the economy.
Despite the challenges, the latest US proposal signals an intensification of diplomatic pressure on both sides as Washington seeks to achieve a breakthrough in ending Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.
