Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes there is a limited but important opportunity to pursue negotiations with Russia before the onset of winter, arguing that developments on the battlefield have shifted in Ukraine’s favor and could create conditions for renewed diplomatic efforts.
In an interview with CBS News recorded on May 29 and released on May 31, Zelensky agreed with an assessment by Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi that Ukraine has several months to strengthen its position before entering possible peace talks. According to the president, Russia began losing the battlefield initiative in late 2025, a trend he said he communicated to Ukraine’s American partners at the beginning of this year.
"I think that we have a window for the negotiations," Zelensky said, explaining that Russian forces have been suffering mounting losses while failing to achieve significant territorial gains. He argued that Moscow’s recent escalation of missile attacks was linked to setbacks on the front lines. "They began to attack us with large-scale missile strikes because they began to lose on the battlefield," he stated.
The Ukrainian leader said the period before winter is critical because Russia is expected to resume large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure once colder weather returns. He stressed that diplomacy remains possible but only if pressure on the Kremlin continues to grow through sanctions and political isolation. "Before winter, we need to find a diplomatic way to sit down and speak," Zelensky said, adding that new sanctions rather than sanctions relief would be necessary to push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward negotiations.
