Washington Disputes Zelensky's Claims on Ukraine War Timeline

The U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, has denied claims made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggesting that Washington is aiming to conclude the conflict in Ukraine by summer.

Whitaker told The Guardian, "Zelensky mentioned a June deadline, but I don’t believe the U.S. has stated that," stressing that it is in Washington's interest to resolve the conflict "as soon as possible," without providing a specific timeline.

In contrast, Zelensky asserted that the U.S. is advocating for a resolution before summer, proposing a new round of discussions between Moscow and Kyiv in Miami next week, to which Ukraine has agreed.

He added: "The Americans suggest that both sides should end the war before the start of summer, and they are likely to pressure both parties to adhere to this timeline."

The Ukrainian president also highlighted the political implications for the U.S., stating, "There is no doubt that the upcoming midterm elections in November are more significant for them, and they express a desire to achieve results by June."

This statement follows the second round of trilateral talks involving Russia, the U.S., and Ukraine, which took place on February 4 and 5 in Abu Dhabi.

According to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Moscow and Kyiv have agreed to exchange 314 prisoners of war, while consultations regarding a final resolution to the conflict are expected to continue in the coming weeks, as reported by the agency "TASS."