Zelensky expects the war to extend into this winter after his talks with special U.S. envoys. The Ukrainian president called for a tripartite meeting including Russia.
On Sunday, 6 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky predicted that the war with Russia would stretch into the winter after concluding talks with a high-level delegation from Donald Trump in Kyiv just hours earlier.
The talks ended without any major breakthroughs after Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Ukraine for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. The day before, they had met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Witkoff said he felt "encouraged" by the discussions in Kyiv, which he described as "substantive" and meaningful. Zelensky emphasized his desire for a just peace that leaves no chance for Russia to invade again.
After several hours of secret talks on Sunday, Zelensky told reporters that they agreed officials from Ukraine, Europe, and the U.S. would meet soon to continue discussions. He also called for a tripartite meeting involving Russia and the U.S.
Zelensky stressed that if the war continues into winter, which "currently seems likely," Ukraine will need support for air defense systems and energy supplies.
Ukraine relies on the U.S.-made Patriot missile defense system to counter Russia’s ballistic missiles, but the U.S. has heavily deployed this stockpile during its conflict with Iran.
In recent years, Russia has frequently targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in winter. Zelensky said Ukraine needs to develop its own missile defense system but added that the U.S. plans to increase production next year, which Ukraine "is counting on."
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Source:bbc