US negotiators push for a May vote in Ukraine to secure a peace deal before domestic politics consume Washington’s focus, sources reveal.
KYIV: US and Ukrainian negotiators have discussed an ambitious goal to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal by March, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
The proposed framework would see any final agreement submitted to a Ukrainian referendum, held simultaneously with national elections. Five sources, speaking anonymously, confirmed the private deliberations.
The US negotiating team, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff (pix) and Jared Kushner, has urged Ukrainian counterparts to hold the vote soon. They argue President Donald Trump’s focus will shift to domestic affairs ahead of the November midterm elections, reducing political capital for a peace accord.
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Two sources said officials have discussed the possibility of holding the election and referendum in May. However, several sources described the US-proposed timeline as unrealistic.
Ukrainian election authorities project organising a vote under current martial law would take around six months. “The Americans are in a hurry,” said one source familiar with the matter.
Organising an election would require legislative changes, as votes are prohibited during martial law. It would also be costly and require a ceasefire to protect the referendum’s integrity, a condition Ukraine insists upon.
“Kyiv’s position is that nothing can be agreed until the security guarantees for Ukraine from the United States and partners are in place,” another source said. The White House declined to comment.
While Ukraine has sent high-level political delegates to talks, Russia’s team is military-focused. One Ukrainian official said President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is open to near-future elections, a recurring US demand.
Zelenskiy, whose support remains above 50%, is confident he would win, the official stated. The biggest obstacle remains the territorial question, particularly the eastern Donbas region.
Russia demands control of the entire Donbas, a condition Kyiv describes as unacceptable. Officials have, however, expressed openness to exploring creative solutions like a demilitarised zone.
“There’s still no progress on the territorial question,” a source said. The fate of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has also proven a sticking point.
Russia has pushed back on a US proposal for Washington to control the plant. Moscow insists on controlling it while offering Ukraine cheap power, a proposal Kyiv finds unacceptable.
Should these issues be resolved, Ukrainian voters could still reject any territorial concessions in a referendum. Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory.
Polls show a notable majority of Ukrainians oppose territorial concessions in exchange for Western security guarantees, though the figures have narrowed slightly over the past year.