Zelenskyy says Ukraine has "zero trust" in Russia as US sets June deadline

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has little trust in Russia despite what he described as a shift in Moscow’s tone during recent negotiations, as the United States presses both sides to reach an agreement to end the war by June.

Speaking to reporters on February 6, with remarks released the next day, Zelenskyy said Russia’s delegation has moved away from ideological rhetoric and is now discussing more concrete issues such as ceasefire mechanisms and monitoring. However, he stressed that this change has not improved Kyiv’s confidence in Moscow’s intentions, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media.

Zelenskyy said the United States has set a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a settlement to end the nearly four-year war and is prepared to apply pressure on both sides if progress is not made. According to him, Washington wants a clear timetable for steps toward ending the conflict by early summer.

“And they say that they want to do everything by June. And they will do everything to end the war. And they want a clear schedule of all events,” he said.

He added that the US has proposed holding the next round of trilateral talks as early as next week on American soil for the first time, likely in Miami, and confirmed that Ukraine has agreed to participate.

The deadline follows US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi that failed to produce a breakthrough, with both sides maintaining opposing demands. Zelenskyy said Russia continues to push Ukraine to withdraw from the Donbas region, where fighting remains intense, a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is willing to support a temporary halt to strikes on energy infrastructure if Russia agrees to take reciprocal measures.

He noted that a similar arrangement in the past collapsed within days, with Ukraine accusing Russia of violating the agreement before its expiration. According to Zelenskyy, US officials have suggested attempting such a deal again, while the Russian delegation said it would return with a formal position at a later stage.

By Sabina Mammadli