Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has disclosed that the United States is keen to bring the conflict with Russia to a close by June, confirming that both nations have been invited for discussions in Washington next week.
"For the first time, America has suggested that the negotiation teams from Ukraine and Russia meet in the United States, likely in Miami, within a week. We have affirmed our willingness to participate," stated Zelensky.
There has been no immediate response from either Washington or Moscow regarding this development. Nonetheless, US President Donald Trump has been calling for an end to the conflict since reclaiming office over a year ago.
Simultaneously, Russian forces have intensified their assaults on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, resulting in extensive power outages amid harsh winter conditions.
On Saturday, Zelensky provided insights into the second round of peace talks brokered by the US, which took place in Abu Dhabi and wrapped up on Friday without reaching any significant agreement.
"Challenging matters remain unresolved," he commented, alluding to the territorial compromises Ukraine is being urged to consider.
He further mentioned that, for the first time, discussions included the potential for a trilateral meeting involving leaders instead of just their representatives, while cautioning that necessary preparatory steps must be taken first.
When asked about the potential timeline for an agreement, Zelensky indicated that US officials expressed a desire to achieve results by June. "Why before the summer?" he queried, suggesting that the upcoming midterm elections in the US might influence decisions in Washington.
As negotiations are ongoing, Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector show no signs of abating.
"Russian aggressors launched another large-scale campaign against Ukraine's energy installations," noted Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine's Energy Minister, via Telegram.
He reported that critical energy infrastructures, including substations and power lines essential to Ukraine’s electrical grid, were targeted in the assaults. The state-owned energy company, Ukrenergo, confirmed a significant spike in energy shortages following these attacks.
Shmyhal mentioned that Poland has been approached for urgent power assistance.
Zelensky highlighted that Friday's attack involved over 400 drones and 40 missiles. He detailed that crucial targets included energy transmission systems and distribution facilities, with damage reported in at least four regions. Most incoming missiles were intercepted by air defense systems, but some evaded capture.
In Lviv, the Dobrotvir power plant was hit, affecting thousands of residents with power outages, according to regional authority Maksym Kozytskyi, who stated that around 6,000 individuals experienced power loss due to the scheduled outages.
The nearby Burshtyn power plant in Ivano-Frankivsk also suffered attacks. DTEK, the operator of both plants, noted this was the tenth significant assault on its facilities since October 2025. Overall, DTEK has faced more than 220 attacks on its thermal power plants since the onset of the full-scale invasion.
One fatality was reported in the Rivne region, alongside multiple injuries in Zaporizhzhia. Rivne’s regional head, Oleksandr Koval, relayed that residential buildings and key infrastructure had sustained damage.
Residents in Kyiv sought refuge in metro stations as attacks continued. Oksana Kykhtenko expressed to Reuters about the harsh living conditions imposed by the ongoing aggression.
An additional drone strike targeted Yahotyn, approximately 10 km from Kyiv, igniting a fire in a warehouse complex, according to Ukrainian emergency services.
In response, Ukraine has also targeted Russian installations, striking a factory in the Tver region responsible for producing missile fuel components and attacking an oil depot in Saratov, as per reports from local media citing Ukrainian security officials. Moscow has yet to respond to these developments.
Following a temporary ceasefire request from Trump, Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure resumed on Monday after a brief halt. Trump mentioned the ceasefire lasted only a week, concluding last Sunday, though Kyiv disputes this timeline.
DTEK characterized the missile and drone onslaught as "the most significant blow" to Ukrainian infrastructure this year. Zelensky remarked on X that Moscow must be denied the leverage to exploit winter conditions against Ukraine.
Russia has accused Kyiv of blocking peace negotiations, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attributing the shooting of a notable Russian general to Ukrainian actions intended to disrupt the talks, although the identities of those responsible remain unknown.
Since Russia embarked on its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Zelensky indicated that around 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives, alongside nearly 160,000 confirmed Russian military fatalities in the ongoing conflict.
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