Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia began losing the battlefield initiative in December 2025 and argued that Ukraine and its partners now have a window to push for diplomacy before next winter, while keeping strong sanctions pressure on Moscow.
Speaking in an interview with Face the Nation on May 31, Zelenskyy said Russia’s monthly losses are growing and that Moscow can no longer seize more territory than Ukrainian forces can liberate.
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“Beginning in December 2025, Russia started to lose the initiative on the battlefield. In January 2026, I told our American partners: ‘I think there is a window for negotiations, because each month Russia will be losing more and more troops.’ Now they can’t occupy more territory in a month than we liberate,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian President said that creates a need to search for a diplomatic path before winter, but only if pressure on Russia continues from both inside the country and from Ukraine’s Western partners.
“Therefore, I think that we need to find a diplomatic way – to sit down and talk – before next winter. But this depends on internal pressure on Putin from his society as well as American and European sanctions pressure on Russia,” he said.
Beginning in December 2025, Russia started to lose the initiative on the battlefield. In January 2026, I told our American partners: “I think there is a window for negotiations, because each month Russia will be losing more and more troops.” Now they can’t occupy more territory…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2026
Zelenskyy also addressed the question of who could represent Europe in possible negotiations. He pointed to the E3 format—the United Kingdom, France, and Germany—while also noting the role of Nordic countries and Türkiye.
“Who could represent Europe in the negotiations? There is an E3 format – the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. I don’t know if this is the best format, but I think these countries could be negotiators from Europe. We also have reliable Nordic partners. Türkiye always wanted to be a mediator, and we had some successes in bringing back our POWs with their help,” Zelenskyy said.
He stressed that any European role must be agreed by Ukraine and Europe, and that Russia must be genuinely ready for talks.
“Who will represent Europe after all? It’s up to Ukraine and Europe to decide. But no less important is that Russia must be ready for dialogue and European presence,” he said.
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At the same time, Zelenskyy warned against easing sanctions on Russia, arguing that such steps only strengthen Moscow’s military-industrial base.
“Lifting sanctions means helping Russian soldiers by helping the Russian defense industry,” Zelenskyy said.
He rejected arguments that easing sanctions on Russia would significantly lower global energy prices, saying Russian oil represents only a small part of global supply.
“After some sanctions were eased, we did not see any surprises like lower global prices for oil, gas, or diesel. Because the share of Russian oil accounts for only 5% of global supply. How could it make a difference?” he said.
Lifting sanctions means helping Russian soldiers by helping the Russian defense industry.
After some sanctions were eased, we did not see any surprises like lower global prices for oil, gas, or diesel. Because the share of Russian oil accounts for only 5% of global supply. How…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2026
According to Zelenskyy, sanctions relief is not really about energy markets, but about trying to build dialogue with Moscow. He said that the approach is dangerous because Russia interprets concessions as weakness.
“So lifting sanctions is not about that. I think it’s about building dialogue with the Russians. But it’s not the right approach, because they don’t understand words or empathy and see it as a sign of weakness,” Zelenskyy said.
“We need to be strong and impose more sanctions on them,” he added.
Earlier, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated that Europe should not position itself as a neutral mediator in potential negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the war.
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