Zelenskyy sees late 2026 to summer 2027 as key window for ending war

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that the most realistic window for diplomacy to bring Russia’s war against Ukraine to an end stretches from late 2026 through the summer of 2027, while acknowledging that major differences remain over the future of Donbas.

Speaking at a ceremony marking Ukraine’s National Flag Day in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said negotiations had entered what he viewed as a potentially decisive period.

“We believe that this is the most active stage at which diplomacy can lead to the end of the war. It’s the end of this year and the end of summer 2027,” Zelenskyy said.

He said the question of withdrawing Ukrainian forces from Donbas remained a major point of disagreement in efforts to reach a settlement.

Among the ceasefire options being discussed with the United States and European partners is a reciprocal withdrawal of forces and the establishment of a buffer “free economic zone” administered by a third party, Zelenskyy said.

Kyiv is also prepared to discuss a mutual halt to attacks on energy and agricultural infrastructure, he added.

Leaders from Nordic and Baltic countries attended Sunday’s events in Kyiv.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine faces a $27 billion shortfall in its defense budget, including between $8 billion and $10 billion needed in advance to cover requirements at the beginning of 2027.

Nearly $20 billion more is required for military salaries, payments to families of service members killed on the front lines and other defense-related expenses, he said.

Zelenskyy also said Ukraine had yet to reach mass production of domestically produced ballistic missiles because of technical challenges, with two companies currently working on the program.

“When there is mass production, then we will be able to deliver painful strikes against the enemy in response to their terror,” he said.

Ukraine is also exploring the possibility of jointly producing missiles for Patriot air defense systems with Raytheon, according to Zelenskyy.

He said the US company had held an initial technical meeting with Ukrainian officials, while Ukrainian defense company Fire Point had been selected as a project partner. An assessment of the project’s feasibility and potential timeline is expected within weeks.

Zelenskyy also announced that Ukraine expects deliveries of French air defense radars and a SAMP/T system this fall, while agreements for additional Aster 30 missiles are expected in September.

He said Kyiv had reached an agreement with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for the delivery of 600 PAC-2 missiles for Patriot systems in 2027 and 2028.

Ukraine needs around 360 Patriot missiles for the winter period alone, Zelenskyy said, compared with annual global production of around 600.

On domestic politics, Zelenskyy rejected holding elections while the war continues, describing such a move as a “tsunami for the state” that risked dividing the country.

He also said Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies should remain independent.

Addressing another aspect of Ukraine’s military operations, Zelenskyy confirmed that Kyiv has deliberately targeted warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer.

“Why do we hit Wildberries in particular? Because this is both the supply of military goods and a lot of money,” he said.

Zelenskyy also said SpaceX founder Elon Musk had rejected a Ukrainian request to use Starlink satellite communications over Russian territory for defense-related purposes.

He said, however, that Kyiv had recently received more encouraging signals from Musk’s team and was continuing discussions aimed at resolving the issue.