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Volodymyr Zelensky previously said the White House had set a deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace deal.
17:44, Fri, Feb 13, 2026 Updated: 18:14, Fri, Feb 13, 2026
Donald Trump and Melania Trump left Washington DC this afternoon (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump is mounting pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky over a peace deal, as Russia continues to target Ukrainian cities. The US president said his Ukrainian counterpart is "going to have to get moving" if he wants to secure a ceasefire and lasting peace.
He said: "Zelensky's going to have to get moving, Russia wants to make a deal, and Zelensky's going to have to get moving otherwise he's going to miss a great opportunity." This comes after Zelensky said the US has given him and the Russian delegation a deadline of June to reach a peace deal.
Zelensky said Trump gave him a deadline for peace talks. (Image: Getty)
The Ukrainian president also urged Trump to help stop the war with Russia for his political "legacy".
He said "the most adventageous" outcome for the US president would be to have a peace deal signed before the midterm elections in November this year.
Not only would that prevent the death toll from increasing even further, Zelensky said, but it would also provide a "political victory" for Trump.
He told The Atlantic: "I think there is no greater victory for Trump than to stop the war between Russia and Ukraine. For his legacy, it’s number one.
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"The most advantageous situation for Trump is to do this before the midterms. Yes, he wants there to be less deaths. But if you and I are talking like adults, it’s just a victory for him, a political one."
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Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha added that peace talks are "advancing" and extended his thanks "to our American friends", saying he could not end the war without Trump.
He told Sky News security and defence editor Deborah Haynes: "Ukrainian security is transatlantic security. Security guarantees for Ukraine equals security guarantees for Europe... Without Trump, it is unrealistic to end this war."
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