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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes there is a limited window before winter to pursue negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia, but stressed that progress will depend on increased pressure on the Kremlin, including tougher sanctions and growing public discontent inside Russia.
Speaking in an interview with CBS News, Zelensky commented on remarks by Third Army Corps commander Andrii Biletskyi, who recently suggested that Ukraine has six to nine months to strengthen its position on the battlefield and improve its leverage in future peace talks.
Zelensky agreed that such a timeframe exists, noting that Russia has gradually been losing its battlefield initiative since December 2025.
“I shared this assessment with our American partners. In January, I told them that I believed we had a window for negotiations because Russia would continue losing more people every month, and as a result, it would lose the initiative on the battlefield. We now have this period before winter arrives. Therefore, I believe we must find a diplomatic way to sit down at the negotiating table before winter,” Zelensky said.
The president also suggested that Europe could be represented in potential negotiations by a group of three key countries.
“As I understand it today, the priority format for Europe is three countries: the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. In my opinion, these countries could serve as negotiators,” he said.
At the same time, Zelensky acknowledged the role of other partners, including Nordic countries and Turkey, which has repeatedly expressed interest in acting as a mediator.
However, he emphasized that any negotiation framework would ultimately need the approval of both Ukraine and its European partners, while Russia must also be willing to engage in meaningful dialogue.
The comments come as Ukrainian officials continue to call for stronger international pressure on Moscow. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha recently argued that both Ukraine and Europe possess significant leverage and should use it more decisively to help bring the war to an end.
