President Volodymyr Zelensky has instructed Ukrainian officials to seek an end to the active phase of the war before winter, Presidential Office chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Monday, June 1. Speaking at the Security Architecture Forum 2026, Budanov said ending the war as soon as possible was a direct task set by the president.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “This is the president’s instruction – to try to end this war as quickly as possible. Preferably before winter,” Budanov said, according to multiple media reports cited by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. “As head of the Presidential Office, I will do everything to achieve the goal set by the President of Ukraine. It is absolutely correct, timely and well thought out.” Budanov said Ukraine has sufficient capabilities to work toward that objective, although he acknowledged that Russia could refuse to reach any agreement. According to him, there are already “real signs” that conditions exist for ending active hostilities. Zelensky previously spoke of negotiations before winter Budanov’s remarks follow recent comments by Zelensky, who told CBS News that Ukraine needs to find a path toward negotiations with Russia before the onset of winter, while stressing that such a scenario depends on sustained pressure on Moscow. “From December 2025, Russia began to lose initiative on the battlefield,” he said, adding that Russian forces were no longer able to hold or gain territory at a rate matching their losses.