Russia continues to lose the initiative on the battlefield, and therefore there is now an opportunity for a diplomatic resolution of the war. This was stated by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, on his Telegram channel.
According to the Ukrainian leader, starting from December 2025, Russia began to lose the initiative on the battlefield. He noted that in January 2026, he told American partners that there was a window for negotiations because every month the Russians would lose more of their troops. The president emphasized that currently, the enemy cannot occupy more territory in a month than the Ukrainian forces are liberating.
"Therefore, I believe that we need to find a diplomatic way - to sit down and talk - before the next winter begins. But this depends on the internal pressure on Putin from his society, as well as on the sanctions pressure from the U.S. and Europe on Russia," Zelensky added.
Moreover, the president of Ukraine expressed his thoughts on who could represent Europe in the negotiations. He reminded that there is already an E3 format - the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
"I don’t know if this is the best format, but I believe that these countries could be negotiators on behalf of Europe. We also have reliable partners from the Nordic countries. Turkey has always wanted to be a mediator, and we have achieved certain successes in returning our prisoners of war with their help," Zelensky emphasized.
According to him, it is Ukraine and the European countries that should decide who will represent Europe in the negotiations. He also stated that it is equally important for Russia to be ready for dialogue and for Europe to be present.
