Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kyiv has a real window of opportunity to halt hostilities with Russia within the next two months — before the onset of winter. According to RBC-Ukraine, citing The Wall Street Journal, the head of state said this in a public address. In his words, the conditions for a "just peace" are now taking shape, but their realization depends on a number of external factors, which Zelensky described in the form of "several 'ifs'."

Two key "ifs": Washington's political will and the "winter package" of technology

The first condition Zelensky named was the political will of the United States, above all that of President Donald Trump. "We have a chance to stop and end this war before winter, if… There are several 'ifs'. Of course, the first 'if' is always will. The will of the United States, especially the president's," he emphasized. The second condition was technology: Zelensky demanded from Washington the so-called "winter package" — missiles for Patriot air defense missile systems, which, according to him, are currently produced exclusively in the United States. Kyiv, the president stated, is ready to share its own combat experience, but needs specific American deliveries.

Pressure on Putin and the condition of an energy truce

At the same time, Zelensky stressed that in the case of the Russian leadership, the political will of allies alone will not be enough. Against this backdrop, he once again called on partners to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin. Earlier, as RBC-Ukraine recalls, the Ukrainian president stated a clear condition for the so-called energy truce with Russia, linking it to the protection of critical infrastructure. Thus, the question of winter missile deliveries for Patriot, in his rhetoric, is directly tied to the survival of the energy system and, consequently, to Kyiv's negotiating positioning.

Trump's position: the war will end "faster than people imagine"

In parallel, during a speech at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, US President Donald Trump stated that the end of the war in Ukraine will come "faster than people imagine." This public statement from Washington coincides in time with Kyiv's calls to increase pressure on Moscow and forms the general backdrop for possible negotiating steps in the coming weeks.

Contradictory data

In the public rhetoric of the parties, a divergence in emphasis and in the wording of timelines is traceable. On the one hand, Zelensky presents the possibility of ending the war as strictly conditional: it depends on the will of the US and on specific deliveries of missiles for Patriot, that is, on actions that Kyiv does not control. On the other hand, Trump at the UN session voiced an optimistic forecast of a swift end to the conflict without publicly tying it to such conditions. Moreover, regarding the format and location of future steps, sources give different emphases: some reports discuss a likely venue for a meeting with Putin, while others discuss the signing of a peace agreement on US territory. These differences in details and timelines should be taken into account when assessing the real prospects for negotiations.

Context: discussion of the signing venue

Additional materials record that Zelensky had earlier stated his readiness to sign a peace agreement with Russia on the territory of the United States and named a likely venue for a possible meeting with Vladimir Putin. These statements complement the current picture: Kyiv, while declaring a "chance before winter," is simultaneously working out scenarios for the diplomatic formalization of the cessation of hostilities, including a neutral or American venue for the final documents.