Ukraine’s Zelensky says war with Russia may continue through winter

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that the war in Ukraine could continue through the winter, emphasizing the importance of European and American support at this stage.

Zelensky explained that three rounds of negotiations were held in Kyiv today, describing them as objective, and expressed his gratitude to the United States for its ongoing support.

During a press conference following talks with envoys of US President Donald Trump, Zelensky stated that the issue of disputed territories between Ukraine and Russia can only be resolved through direct meetings between the countries’ leaders, reaffirming his commitment to this stance.

Meanwhile, US and Russian officials gave a positive assessment of a meeting between Trump’s envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which lasted three hours on Saturday, according to Axios.

The website reported that both sides discussed plans for next steps, which will be announced in the coming weeks.

Axios, citing a source familiar with the matter, said Zelensky discussed Ukraine’s preparations to continue the war through the winter with the US envoys, while Kushner and Witkoff stressed their desire to achieve a breakthrough before winter arrives.

The two US envoys also met twice with Zelensky and his advisers, and were joined by national security advisers from the UK, France, and Germany for a third meeting.

After the second meeting, Kushner and Witkoff expressed optimism about the discussions and looked forward to further progress.