President Volodymyr Zelensky has instructed Ukrainian officials to seek an end to the active phase of the war before winter, Presidential Office chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Monday, June 1.
Speaking at the Security Architecture Forum 2026, Budanov said ending the war as soon as possible was a direct task set by the president.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
“This is the president’s instruction – to try to end this war as quickly as possible. Preferably before winter,” Budanov said, according to multiple media reports cited by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
“As head of the Presidential Office, I will do everything to achieve the goal set by the President of Ukraine. It is absolutely correct, timely and well thought out.”
Budanov said Ukraine has sufficient capabilities to work toward that objective, although he acknowledged that Russia could refuse to reach any agreement.
According to him, there are already “real signs” that conditions exist for ending active hostilities.
Zelensky previously spoke of negotiations before winter
Budanov’s remarks follow recent comments by Zelensky, who told CBS News that Ukraine needs to find a path toward negotiations with Russia before the onset of winter, while stressing that such a scenario depends on sustained pressure on Moscow.
“From December 2025, Russia began to lose initiative on the battlefield,” he said, adding that Russian forces were no longer able to hold or gain territory at a rate matching their losses.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 29, 2026
He argued that this shift has prompted Russia to intensify long-range missile strikes, which he described as a reaction to setbacks on the front lines.
“Now we have this period of time before the winter,” Zelensky said, suggesting that Kyiv sees an opportunity for diplomatic engagement if sufficient pressure is applied on Moscow.
Zelensky added that any diplomatic progress remains uncertain, noting that developments in other global conflicts, including the Middle East, could influence the pace of negotiations.
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter
