U.S. President Donald Trump expressed the opinion that Russia is seeking to conclude a peace agreement, and the Ukrainian side should "act" to not miss this opportunity.
On Friday, commenting on the question of whether Washington continues to insist on holding elections in Ukraine before summer, Trump said: "Russia wants to make a deal, and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky needs to take steps. Otherwise, he risks missing a great opportunity."
In response to questions about possible concessions that Ukraine might make under U.S. pressure, Volodymyr Zelensky gave an interview to a journalist from Politico during the Munich Security Conference.
"There are several signals from the American side, including from President Trump. They say: 'It's time for compromises, you can take steps forward.' We have made many compromises. Putin and his entourage are not in prison, and this is perhaps the most significant compromise that the world has already made," Zelensky noted.
He also added that under U.S. pressure, Kyiv agreed to a ceasefire without preconditions, but this proposal was rejected by Russia.
As previously reported by Ukrainian and Western officials in interviews with the Financial Times (FT), Kyiv is preparing to hold presidential elections and a referendum on a peace agreement with Russia in the spring of 2026. Zelensky may announce this on February 24, the day of the fourth anniversary of the start of the Russian military operation.
Earlier, the Trump administration insisted that both votes take place before May 15, and that peace negotiations with Russia be completed by summer, FT sources claimed.
However, Zelensky himself denied these reports, stating: "I have said many times about the elections. We will hold them when there are all necessary security guarantees." He emphasized that the issue of elections is more often raised by Ukraine's allies rather than by Kyiv itself, and that security remains a key condition for their holding.
