Zelensky "cornered"

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the U.S. is proposing that the parties end hostilities by June of this year.

"The Americans are suggesting that the sides end the war by the beginning of this summer and will likely pressure the parties according to this schedule," the Ukrainian leader said.

However, analysts warn that setting a new deadline is unlikely to change the reality of the war, as key issues remain unresolved.

NBC News notes that Donald Trump has previously set and revised deadlines for ending the war in Ukraine, but none of these deadlines have led to a lasting ceasefire or agreement.

via ZUMA Press Wire / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia

Despite trilateral talks between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia being described as constructive by all parties, serious obstacles—such as the territorial issue—remain.

In a comment to NBC News, Moritz Brake, senior fellow at the Center for Advanced Security Studies, Strategy, and Integration (CASSIS) at the University of Bonn, indicated that the deadlock could be resolved if one side yields to pressure.

Meanwhile, Michael Bociurkiw, senior fellow at the Eurasia Center of the Atlantic Council, believes that “time is not on Ukraine’s side.”

According to experts, Zelensky is “cornered” because he cannot concede on the main issue concerning territory.

The Ukrainian leader has said that missing the June deadline would put pressure on both sides, but analysts suggest that Ukraine is likely to be in the worst position.

"Every time the war could turn in Ukraine’s favor—such as receiving more powerful long-range missiles—there is a phone call between Trump and Putin, and everything changes," says Bociurkiw.

Keir Giles, senior consultant at the London-based think tank Chatham House, shares a similar view.

The analyst noted that the Trump administration is reluctant to pressure Moscow, but “it has the ability to pressure Ukraine, and it has done so multiple times.”