The United States has set a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach an agreement to end their nearly four-year war, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The push comes as overnight Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure forced nuclear power plants to curtail output.
US Pushes for Resolution by Summer
Zelenskyy stated that the Trump administration will likely increase pressure on both sides to meet the June deadline if no deal is reached. “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,” he said.
The US has proposed holding the next round of trilateral talks in Miami next week, with Ukraine confirming its participation. Zelenskyy also revealed that Russia presented the US with a $12 trillion economic proposal, dubbed the “Dmitriev package” after Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Russian Strikes Target Ukrainian Energy Grid
Recent Russian strikes have heavily targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, with over 400 drones and approximately 40 missiles launched overnight Saturday. Targets included the energy grid, generation facilities, and distribution networks, according to Zelenskyy.
UkrEnergo, Ukraine’s state energy transmission operator, reported that the attack was the second major strike on energy infrastructure this year, leading to reduced output from all nuclear power plants under Ukrainian control. The attacks have “significantly” increased the power deficit, resulting in extended hourly power outages across all regions of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy noted that the US has again proposed a ceasefire that would prohibit strikes on energy infrastructure, an agreement Ukraine is prepared to observe if Russia reciprocates. However, he pointed out that a previous US-suggested one-week pause was violated by Moscow after only four days.
Donbas Region Remains a Sticking Point
The deadline follows trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi that failed to produce a breakthrough. Russia continues to demand Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Donbas region, a condition Kyiv has rejected. Zelenskyy expressed frustration that Ukraine is being asked to make disproportionate compromises.
“Difficult issues remained difficult. Ukraine once again confirmed its positions on the Donbas issue. ‘We stand where we stand’ is the fairest and most reliable model for a ceasefire today, in our opinion,” Zelenskyy said.
No agreement was reached regarding the management of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, and Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about a US proposal to establish a free economic zone in the contested Donbas region. He also stated that negotiators discussed how a potential ceasefire would be technically monitored, with the US reaffirming its commitment to playing a role in that process.
Reports indicate that any eventual deal between Ukraine and Russia will be subject to a referendum by Ukrainian voters, held alongside national elections.
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