Key facts
- President Zelensky announced a joint plan with allies to pressure Russia into ending the war.
- Washington has not yet received details of this plan.
- Peace talks are deadlocked over territorial disputes, with Russia demanding the entire Donbas region.
- Ukraine faces critical shortages of air defense systems, including Patriot interceptors.
- Kyiv hopes the active phase of the war could end before winter.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on August 12 that Ukraine and its international partners have developed a joint plan to compel Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, as peace talks remain deadlocked. However, Washington has not yet received details of this strategy, according to a U.S. official. Zelensky stated that the plan relies on joint pressure against Putin, but did not disclose specific details. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were informed of the plan during a call with Ukrainian officials, but have not seen the proposals. Peace talks have been frozen for months due to territorial disputes, with Russia demanding control of the entire Donbas region, a condition Ukraine rejects. Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian military infrastructure and faces critical shortages of air defense systems like Patriot interceptors. Kyiv hopes to end the active phase of the war before winter, anticipating potential Russian mobilization after September elections.