Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted new proposals to the United States on Tuesday aimed at ending the four-and-a-half-year war with Russia, signaling renewed diplomatic momentum even as peace talks remain largely stalled.
Zelenskyy announced in his nightly video address that Kyiv had handed the proposals to US negotiators, though he offered no details on their specific contents. “We have conveyed our proposals to the American side,” Zelenskyy said, according to Reuters.
The announcement came amid suggestions from both Ukraine and Russia that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would soon visit their countries. The two officials last traveled to Moscow in January but have not yet visited Kyiv, according to Reuters reporting.
Zelenskyy called on the United States to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and increase pressure on Moscow to prepare “for an end to the war rather than prolonging it.” The proposals arrive as talks to end Russia’s invasion, which began in February 2022, have largely stalled since the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran.
History of Failed Negotiations
The latest proposals follow years of unsuccessful attempts to broker peace. In spring 2022, Ukraine and Russia held direct talks in Istanbul, where negotiators came close to a framework agreement but ultimately deadlocked over critical issues. According to documents published by the New York Times in 2024, Moscow demanded a veto right over any security guarantees provided to Ukraine, effectively undermining the entire protection system, and insisted Ukraine reduce its military to just 85,000 personnel—a nearly 85 percent cut, according to New Eastern Europe.
In June 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued what he called a “real peace proposal” but was widely viewed as an ultimatum. Putin explicitly demanded that Ukraine fully cede four regions—Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk—and adopt a neutral, non-aligned status, with recognition of Crimea’s annexation. Zelenskyy rejected the demands, comparing them to Nazi Germany’s territorial expansion before World War II, according to New Eastern Europe.
Zelenskyy’s own peace formula, first presented at the G20 Summit in November 2022, has received official support from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the European Union. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution incorporating key elements of Ukraine’s formula in February 2023, passing with 141 votes in favor. However, Russia angrily rejected the initiative.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy warned that Russia is preparing for a new large-scale military mobilization. According to Reuters, he said Ukrainian intelligence had evidence that Moscow would use its September parliamentary elections as a pretext to declare additional conscription. “They are preparing for mobilisation in the autumn, immediately after the imitation of parliamentary elections,” Zelenskyy said, as part of a plan to “create the appearance that Russians supposedly support the war.” He alleged Putin plans to mobilize several hundred thousand Russians by year-end, followed by another similar number in 2027.
Russia has previously denied plans for new mobilization. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated last month that Russia needed no new conscription, citing 200,000 volunteers who signed contracts in the first half of 2026.
Sources
- Reuters — Zelenskyy’s announcement of proposals to US negotiators, stalled talks since Iran conflict, Witkoff and Kushner’s last visit to Moscow in January, Zelenskyy’s warnings about Russian mobilization
- Al Jazeera — Confirmation of proposals handed to US, Zelenskyy’s call for US air defense support, stalled talks, Russia’s position on territorial cessions
- New Eastern Europe — Historical analysis of failed negotiations from 2022 to 2026, including Istanbul talks, Putin’s 2024 ultimatum, Zelenskyy’s peace formula, and international responses
