Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Tuesday that Kyiv had submitted proposals to US negotiators outlining a possible plan to end the war with Russia, while warning that Moscow could use next month’s parliamentary election as a pretext for a fresh military mobilisation.
The announcement comes as peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine remain largely stalled. Both sides have indicated that US negotiators could soon travel to Moscow and Kyiv as Washington seeks to revive talks.
“We have conveyed our proposals to the American side,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.
He added that the United States could help strengthen Ukraine’s defences, particularly its air defence capabilities, while putting pressure on Russia to pursue an end to the war instead of prolonging the conflict.
Zelenskiy did not disclose details of the proposals submitted to Washington.
US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner last visited Moscow in January and have yet to travel to Kyiv.
Ukraine has repeatedly called for a ceasefire after nearly four and a half years of war. Russia has also said it wants a settlement, but insists that any agreement must address what it calls the conflict’s “root causes” and include Ukraine ceding four regions claimed by Moscow.
Meanwhile, Zelenskiy alleged that Ukrainian intelligence had gathered evidence suggesting Russia was preparing for another mobilisation following its September parliamentary election.
He described the election as a “pseudo-election”, alleging that Moscow could use the vote to create the appearance that the Russian public supports the war before announcing a new recruitment drive.
“They are preparing for mobilisation in the autumn, immediately after the imitation of parliamentary elections,” Zelenskiy said.
He claimed that Russia could seek to mobilise several hundred thousand more people by the end of the year, followed by a similar number the following year. He said the new mobilisation would come on top of existing recruitment through military contracts.
The Kremlin-backed United Russia Party and other broadly pro-Kremlin parties are expected to maintain their dominance in the Russian parliament following the vote.
Russia’s Supreme Court on Monday barred the liberal Yabloko party, the only officially registered party opposing Moscow’s war in Ukraine, from participating in the election.
Moscow previously announced a partial mobilisation in September 2022, several months after launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian officials have declined to comment on speculation about another mobilisation.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, one of the Kremlin’s most outspoken hawks, said last month that Russia did not need another mobilisation, claiming that around 200,000 volunteers had signed military contracts during the first half of 2026.
