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The U.S. is exploring whether Russia and Ukraine can take steps to de-escalate the war during the winter while restarting negotiations toward a broader peace agreement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview.
Zelenskyy also called for additional U.S. sanctions on Russia to provide leverage in negotiations, arguing that "Putin wants money to continue the war."
Ukrainian president remarked that the weeks before winter could offer a window for diplomacy, although he remains skeptical that Moscow is ready to compromise. Russia's battlefield actions and recent escalation of attacks, he asserted, do not show a willingness to make concessions.
Zelenskyy met in Kyiv on Sunday with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner after they held a three-hour meeting with Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday.
The envoys then traveled to Kyiv and conveyed to Zelenskyy that "the Russians are ready to negotiate." He remains skeptical, however, because Russia's battlefield actions and intensified attacks do not indicate a willingness to compromise.
Still, Zelenskyy came away from the meetings with the understanding that Putin is "ready to discuss" ideas for moving negotiations forward.
Zelenskyy suggested Putin does not want to antagonize U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. "My feeling [is] that Putin needs Trump," Zelenskyy told Axios. "He doesn't want ... to upset him."
Asked whether Putin might want to give Trump a diplomatic win before the elections, Zelenskyy replied, "Yeah." He added that the Trump administration could pressure Putin to de-escalate even if he does not want to do so.
The U.S. team traveled to Moscow and Kyiv primarily to "unblock" the diplomatic process while also bringing forward new ideas. Some discussions focus on possible measures by Russia and Ukraine to reduce tensions before and during winter.
"There are ideas around energy (facilities) and around grain (shipments), around electricity (facilities) and around oil and gas (exports). We have different interests, Russia and we," Zelenskyy said.
The emerging U.S. approach involves both restarting negotiations and seeking arrangements that could help Russia and Ukraine get through the winter without a major escalation, according to Zelenskyy. He described that interpretation as "very close to the reality of these conversations."
The first objective is to resume negotiations, while the second is to make the coming winter different from previous ones, when Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure heightened the war. The aim is to find steps before or during winter "which can bring (the) sides closer to the peace."
The U.S. also supports a separate "winter package" for Ukraine covering air defense and energy assistance. "It's not only about missiles," Zelenskyy said. "It's also about LNG ... and it's also about steps of de-escalation."
Zelenskyy believes Putin is counting on winter to inflict enough damage on Ukraine to force Kyiv into further concessions. Moscow hopes a major winter offensive and attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure will deliver a "strong kick" that leaves Ukraine "more compromising."
Ukraine has already made all the compromises it can, Zelenskyy stressed, while any diplomatic process would also require security guarantees and an economic support package.
He also pointed to economic risks facing Russia as winter approaches. Ukraine can hit Russia economically, while disruptions to agricultural exports could drive up global food prices and cause food insecurity.
"When they attacked our electricity, we blocked their possibility to sell oil and gas," Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine wants to use September and October to restart the diplomatic process, with the U.N. General Assembly in New York later this month potentially providing a venue for further U.S.-Ukraine talks.
Another trilateral U.S.-Ukraine-Russia negotiation session also remains possible, although no decision has been made.
"We have this September, October to find any way to speak," Zelenskyy said. "Without dialogue … we will not have (a) result. I think that President Trump can find a way to (a) real beginning of the process of negotiating before (the) cold winter."
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said Monday that "substantive progress" had been made in recent diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, including movement toward scheduling additional trilateral talks between Washington, Moscow and Kyiv.
"Substantive progress was made, including movement on scheduling additional trilateral talks," Witkoff said in remarks outlining the U.S. delegation's meetings with Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
On X, Witkoff wrote that Trump is "working hard to stop the killing" and pursue a lasting and durable peace. U.S. officials were also joined by national security advisers from Britain, Germany and France during the Kyiv talks, Witkoff added.
On Sunday, Witkoff said Washington sees progress toward a diplomatic resolution and hopes to revive trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. "We think we made a lot of progress in Moscow. We heard new ideas," he added.
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