Trump noted that "Russia wants to make a deal, and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky must act." He added that if the Ukrainian leader does not take steps, he will miss a unique opportunity, commenting on Washington's demands for Zelensky to hold elections before summer.
Zelensky, for his part, gave an interview to a journalist from Politico at the Munich Security Conference, where he answered questions about possible concessions from Ukraine under U.S. pressure.
According to the Ukrainian president, "signals from the American side, including from Trump, indicate that the time for compromises has come. We are ready to take some steps forward." He emphasized that they have already made many compromises, noting that "Putin and his entourage are not behind bars — this is the biggest compromise that the world has allowed."
Zelensky also reported that under U.S. pressure, Kyiv agreed to a ceasefire without preconditions, but this proposal was rejected by Russia.
Earlier, sources close to Ukrainian and Western officials told the Financial Times that Kyiv plans to hold presidential elections and a referendum on a peace agreement with Russia in the spring of 2026. The information also states that Zelensky may make an official announcement about this on February 24, the fourth anniversary of the start of the Russian military operation.
However, the Trump administration had previously insisted that Ukraine hold elections and a referendum by May 15 and complete peace negotiations with Moscow by summer, FT sources claimed.
Nevertheless, Zelensky himself denied the newspaper's reports, stating: "I have said many times about the elections; they will only take place when all relevant security guarantees are ensured." He added that the question of elections is often raised by Ukraine's allies, rather than Kyiv itself, and emphasized that security remains a key condition for their holding.
