President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia’s war against Ukraine could end in 2026, as the Russian military’s size has stopped increasing for the first time.
In the interview with Fox News Zelensky described his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago as “very important” and “productive,” praising the months of coordination between Ukrainian and American teams.
Regarding the proposed 20-point peace plan, Zelensky revealed that Ukraine had reached agreement on almost all points except one contentious issue: the territories Russia seeks to annex.
“With the territories... we have different views with Russians, this is important, not with Americans, with Russians,” he said.
On the issue of the four Russian-occupied regions - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson – Zelensky insisted that any territorial decisions must respect Ukrainian law and the will of the people, highlighting that “300,000 people live there…100,000 have been wounded, dozens have been killed.”
“We can’t just withdraw from our territories... It’s not only about the law, our army is also there,” Zelensky said.
On the idea of a referendum in these areas, he added that it could be a path to acceptance, but only as part of a carefully negotiated compromise, potentially including free economic zones with mirrored Russian withdrawals.
“We proposed a compromise. If we do the free economic zone… and we have to move back a few kilometers, it means that Russia has to make mirror steps back the same distance... Referendum is the way how to accept it or not accept,” he said.
While acknowledging that Ukrainians are tired from years of the war, Zelensky said that the nation overwhelmingly supports peace but not at the cost of territorial concessions.
“Everybody wants peace, but just peace,” he said, “We have to find the real way to peace, which is acceptable for the Ukrainian nation.”
Zelensky remained skeptical of Russian intentions, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin “doesn’t want success for Ukraine” and that recent Russian attacks signal a lack of commitment to peace.
“It’s not the signal of peace… We need dialogue and pressure from President Trump [and] sanctions. He has instruments and personally can do it,” Zelensky said.
“I don’t trust Russians, I don’t trust Putin and he doesn’t want success for Ukraine. I believe that he can say such words to President Trump. But it’s not true,” he added.
Zelensky says Putin does not want additional pressure from Trump through sanctions and suggested that the Russian leader’s statements were intended as messages for Trump to figure out how to communicate with him.
Zelensky warned that statements by Moscow about helping Ukraine or funding reconstruction are not to be trusted, emphasizing that Kyiv would decide how to rebuild using any funds provided.
Regarding the course of the war, Zelensky rejected claims that Ukraine is losing. While acknowledging Russian territorial advances, he cited the human cost to Moscow:
“The price of these 3,000 kilometers for this year was 400,000 Russian soldiers…Russia loses 31,000 soldiers per month.”
He stressed Ukraine’s reliance on US support for air defense and weaponry, noting that without it, Kyiv could not defend its airspace or maintain battlefield gains.
Zelensky does not rule out that Russia’s war against Ukraine could end in 2026, noting that the size of the Russian army has stopped growing for the first time.
He disclosed that in previous years, the Kremlin mobilized around 43,000 people under contracts each month, but the situation changed in 2025.
For the first time, the number of new recruits in the Russian army has matched the number of losses, causing the total troop numbers to plateau.
“We think that 2026, God bless, we will stop the war, otherwise Putin will decide to mobilize people. Now he has contracts, because his nation doesn’t respect mobilization,” Zelensky said.
“He will have problems with his society. That’s why he doesn’t want to introduce mobilization. He can. But I’m sure that he doesn’t want to,” he added.
Zelensky further said that he believes measures such as sanctions and economic steps could create a real chance to bring the war to an end.
“Now we have a strong will from the US to finish this war and more pressure on Putin... My feeling is President Trump... is ready for very strong steps. He’s doing that, and he’s ready,” Zelensky said. “That’s why I think this is a possibility to finish this war, because Putin… doesn’t understand what can happen tomorrow. Maybe I’m hoping, but I think maybe this is a chance.”
On security guarantees, Zelensky stressed that bilateral Ukraine-US guarantees are being negotiated, with an initial 15-year proposal subject to Congressional ratification.
These are “NATO-like” but not NATO, he said, and will clearly define what constitutes a Russian violation.
Zelensky also highlighted Ukraine’s growing domestic military industry, noting hundreds of companies now produce drones and other technology, and expressed willingness to co-produce with US partners.
On corruption concerns, he emphasized the independence of anti-corruption agencies and affirmed his commitment to oversight, while reiterating that Ukraine remains focused on the war and international support.
When asked what he would say if he could speak directly to Putin, Zelensky told Fox News that while he personally sees Putin as an enemy, dialogue is necessary to prevent further escalation.
“I think it will be useful to speak [with him]. Notbecause I want to. I don’t want to speak with him, he’s enemy for me,” he said.
“But it’s important to speak for one reason: we have to understand, and we don’t want a third war from Russia. I don’t trust him, and I will not. He also doesn’t trust me. But my feeling is that his goal was occupation of all our country. I really want to hear and to see that he will not come again,” he added.