Zelenskyy says Ukraine has submitted peace proposals to US negotiators

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Kyiv has submitted proposals to US negotiators outlining possible steps towards ending the war with Russia, while warning that Moscow could use upcoming parliamentary elections as a pretext for a fresh military mobilisation.

Zelenskiy made the comments in his nightly video address on Tuesday, saying Ukraine had formally communicated its proposals to the American side.

"We have conveyed our proposals to the American side," Zelenskiy said, without providing details of the plan.

He also called on the United States to strengthen Ukraine's defences, particularly its air defence capabilities, and to increase pressure on Moscow to pursue an end to the conflict rather than prolonging it.

The comments come as peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine remain largely stalled following the outbreak of the conflict with Iran. Both Kyiv and Moscow have indicated that US negotiators could soon travel to the two countries.

US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner last visited Moscow in January. They have not yet travelled to Kyiv.

Ukraine has repeatedly called for a ceasefire after almost four and a half years of fighting. Russia has also said it wants a negotiated settlement, but insists that any agreement must address what it describes as the "root causes" of the conflict and require Ukraine to relinquish control of four regions claimed by Moscow.

Zelenskiy also raised concerns over Russia's military plans, saying Ukrainian intelligence had information indicating that Moscow could announce a new mobilisation after parliamentary elections scheduled for September.

He described the vote as a "pseudo-election", alleging that the Kremlin could use the results to create the impression of broad public support for continuing the war.

"They are preparing for mobilisation in the autumn, immediately after the imitation of parliamentary elections," Zelenskiy said.

He claimed Russia could mobilise several hundred thousand additional personnel by the end of the year, followed by another large recruitment drive the following year. He said the effort would be carried out alongside Russia's existing system of recruiting troops through military contracts.

The Kremlin-backed United Russia party and other broadly pro-government parties are expected to maintain their dominance in Russia's parliament following the election.

Russia's Supreme Court on Monday barred the liberal Yabloko party from contesting the parliamentary vote. Yabloko is the only officially registered political party in Russia that has opposed Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Russia introduced a partial mobilisation in September 2022, several months after launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskiy has previously warned that Moscow could resort to another mobilisation campaign.

Russian officials have so far declined to comment on the latest claims concerning a possible new mobilisation.

The latest developments come as diplomatic efforts continue to search for a pathway towards ending the conflict, with Kyiv pressing for stronger US support and Moscow maintaining demands that Ukraine says it cannot accept.