KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he wants to press for peace talks with Russia before winter, arguing Kyiv’s battlefield position has improved and could strengthen its negotiating leverage.
In an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation broadcast Sunday, Zelenskiy said Russia began to lose the initiative in December 2025 and that Ukraine now has a limited window to pursue a diplomatic settlement. He urged tougher sanctions on Moscow and said pressure inside Russia will be a key factor shaping any negotiations. Zelenskiy also raised the possibility of talks brokered by European partners or bilateral discussions with Moscow.
Zelenskiy reiterated Kyiv’s need for greater U.S. assistance on air defences until a European anti-missile system is produced, and said Ukraine is negotiating a major joint drone-technology deal with the United States while advancing similar agreements with EU and Middle Eastern partners. Ukrainian officials and commanders have signalled confidence on the battlefield, with Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky telling Reuters last week that he sees a roughly six-month window to consolidate gains as Russian forces appear strained.