US gave Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach agreement to end war, Zelenskyy says

U.S. Sets June Deadline for Ukraine-Russia Peace Deal Amid Fresh Energy Grid Attacks

The United States has imposed a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace agreement to end the conflict that has raged for nearly four years, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Saturday. His announcement came as Russian forces launched a massive overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, forcing nuclear power plants to reduce output and expanding power outages across the country.

“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 during a Friday briefing whose contents were embargoed until Saturday morning.

According to Zelenskyy, U.S. officials have emphasized their commitment to ending the war and have outlined a specific timeline. “They say that they want to do everything by June. And they will do everything to end the war. And they want a clear schedule of all events,” he stated.

The Ukrainian leader also revealed that the U.S. has proposed holding the next round of trilateral talks on American soil for the first time, likely in Miami. “We confirmed our participation,” he added.

The June deadline comes after U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi failed to produce a breakthrough. Both sides remain entrenched in contradictory positions, with Russia demanding Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas region—a condition Kyiv categorically rejects.

“Difficult issues remained difficult,” Zelenskyy acknowledged. “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.”

In what appears to be part of the broader negotiation process, Russia has presented the U.S. with a substantial economic proposal reportedly worth $12 trillion, which Zelenskyy referred to as the “Dmitriev package,” named after Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev. The specifics of this economic proposal remain unclear.

Meanwhile, the war continues to intensify. Overnight Saturday, Russia launched what Ukrainian officials described as a major coordinated attack on the country’s power infrastructure, deploying over 400 drones and approximately 40 missiles. The assault targeted the energy grid, generation facilities, and distribution networks across the country.

Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state energy transmission operator, confirmed that eight facilities across eight regions were hit in what it called the second mass strike on energy infrastructure since the beginning of the year. The attack has significantly increased the power deficit throughout Ukraine.

“As a result of missile strikes on key high-voltage substations that ensured the output of nuclear power units, all nuclear power plants in the territories under control were forced to reduce their load,” Ukrenergo stated, noting that the attacks have necessitated an extension of hourly power outages across all Ukrainian regions.

These ongoing Russian strikes on Ukraine’s power grid have become a common tactic in recent months, causing widespread blackouts and disrupting heating and water supplies for families during the harsh winter months, putting additional pressure on Kyiv’s government.

Addressing potential solutions, Zelenskyy said the U.S. has once again proposed a ceasefire that would specifically ban strikes on energy infrastructure. While Ukraine is ready to observe such an agreement, Zelenskyy expressed skepticism, noting that when Moscow previously agreed to a one-week pause suggested by the U.S., it was violated after just four days.

The Ukrainian president also discussed the U.S. proposal to transform the disputed Donbas region into a free economic zone as a potential compromise. “I do not know whether this can be implemented, because when we talked about a free economic zone, we had different views on it,” he said.

No common ground was reached on managing the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, he added. However, negotiators have begun discussing technical aspects of how a potential ceasefire would be monitored, with the U.S. reaffirming its commitment to play a role in that process.

As the June deadline approaches, both sides remain far apart on key issues, raising questions about whether substantial progress can be achieved within the timeframe set by Washington.