Ukraine hands US negotiators peace proposals as Zelenskiy warns of Russian mobilisation plan

Zelenskiy's announcement

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced in his nightly video address on Tuesday, 11 August, that Ukraine had conveyed proposals to the American side for a plan to end the war with Russia. He said the submission followed a report from Ukraine's negotiation team. Zelenskiy offered no details on the content of the proposals but stressed that the United States can help strengthen Ukraine's defence, "first and foremost with air defence," and put pressure on Russia so that its plans shift from prolonging the war to preparing for its end.

The announcement comes as Washington attempts to relaunch negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on 1 August that Washington was ready to check in the coming weeks whether a resumption of Russian-Ukrainian talks was possible. On 7 August, President Donald Trump told journalists in the Oval Office that there was progress, without providing details on conditions or terms.

“This is a brutal, very brutal war. In this war there is a lot of hatred. Between both leaders there is very much hatred.”

US envoys and diplomatic track

US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were last in Moscow in January and have not yet visited Kyiv. Media reports, citing sources, say the two envoys may travel to Kyiv in the second half of August to participate in events marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence on 24 August. American engagement in mediating the conflict was reduced at the end of February in connection with the war with Iran. Peace talks have been largely stalled since the outbreak of that conflict.

Ukraine has repeatedly called for a ceasefire after nearly four and a half years of fighting. Russia says it wants a settlement but insists any solution must involve Ukraine fully ceding four regions Moscow claims as well as resolving the conflict's "root causes."

Russian mobilisation warning

Zelenskiy said Ukrainian intelligence had evidence that Russia would exploit its September parliamentary elections, which he called "pseudo-elections," to proclaim a new mobilisation. He said Russia was preparing for mobilisation in the autumn, "immediately after the imitation of parliamentary elections," as part of a plan to "create the appearance that Russians supposedly support the war."

“Then, following the so-called election, he plans an additional rapid mobilisation of several hundred thousand Russians by the end of the year, plus another similar number next year.”

The draft, he said, would be in addition to recruitment through the conclusion of contracts with servicemen. Russia declared a "partial mobilisation" in 2022 after the launch of its full-scale invasion in February of that year. Russia's Supreme Court on 10 August barred the liberal Yabloko party, the only officially registered party that opposes Moscow's war in Ukraine, from competing in the election. The Putin-backed United Russia Party and other broadly pro-Kremlin parties are set to retain their dominance in the Russian parliament after the vote.

ISW assessment and recent attacks

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, warned that Putin is not looking to end the war and is instead ramping up production of ballistic missiles to break Kyiv's resolve this winter.

“The Kremlin will not enter serious negotiations or make meaningful compromises on its demands as long as Putin believes that he has a viable military path to achieving his full objectives.”

The ISW said Russia's reprioritisation of production efforts toward ballistic missiles will support efforts to use the upcoming winter to break Ukraine's will to fight. Separately, Zelenskiy accused Russian forces of using "North Korean ballistic missiles" in an attack on Zaporizhzhia that killed at least six people overnight. The previous day, he said North Korea was preparing to increase military support to Russia, including sending more troops and missiles.