Feb 08, Kathmandu - The US has set a June deadline for ending the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave this information in a conversation with reporters on Friday.

“The US wants to put pressure on both sides to reach an agreement within this deadline,” Zelensky said. “If an agreement is not reached by the specified time, there will be even more pressure on both countries. The consequences could be serious.”

Zelensky informed that the US has proposed to host the next trilateral talks in the US for the first time. Ukraine has already accepted this proposal and confirmed its participation.

No concrete agreement could be reached from the previous trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi. Both sides are adamant on their demands. Russia has been demanding that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the Donbas region, while Ukraine is rejecting this condition.

Zelensky said, “The questions regarding Donbas remain the same.” According to him, decisions on the most complex issues are possible only at a meeting of heads of state. During the talks, the US suggested making the Donbas region a free economic zone, but Zelensky said the two sides had different views on the issue and that it would be difficult to implement.

The talks also discussed how to monitor the ceasefire. The US has reiterated its willingness to play a role in this process.

Meanwhile, Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. According to Zelensky, Russia launched more than 400 drones and about 40 missiles on Saturday night, targeting power grids, power plants and network towers.