AMMAN — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the US wants Russia and Ukraine to sign a peace deal that ends the war by June, before President Trump pivots to focusing his energy on the midterm elections, according to American news website Axios.

 

"We had very good talks today having to do with Russia-Ukraine. Something could be happening," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday night.

 

Senior officials from Russia and Ukraine have held a second round of negotiations in Abu Dhabi mediated by Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

 

Zelensky said Friday the Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi has changed its rhetoric and instead of getting into "historical arguments" conducted a "concrete" discussion on what it is ready to do and what it isn't ready to do.

 

Zelensky said that during the talks, the US side confirmed it is going to be actively involved in monitoring a potential future ceasefire.

 

Zelensky said that Russia still demands a Ukrainian withdrawal from the parts of Donbas it still holds, but for the first time agreed to discuss the U.S. proposal to establish an economic zone in Donbas to try and bridge the gaps between the parties.

 

He also stressed that Ukraine's position is still that the territorial issue will be resolved according to the current lines.

 

"'We stand where we stand' is the fairest and the most reliable model, in our view, for a ceasefire today," he said.

 

"The Americans are proposing that the war be brought to an end by the beginning of this summer, and they will probably pressure the parties according to this timeline," Zelensky said.

 

"The elections are, for them, definitely more important. Let's not be naïve," he said. "They say they want to achieve everything by June, and they will do everything possible to ensure the war ends that way."