Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine has submitted proposals to the United States aimed at ending the protracted conflict with Russia. In a statement delivered on Tuesday evening, Zelenskyy highlighted the strategic role the US could play in bringing the war to a conclusion.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy emphasized the need for strengthened air defense support from the US and urged American intervention to pressure Russia into transitioning its focus from extending the war to preparing for peace. His comments come as US-mediated peace negotiations remain at a standstill, even as the Russia-Ukraine conflict has reached its fifth year.

Initially, under US mediation, Russia and Ukraine engaged in three rounds of peace discussions in January and February, seeking a resolution to the ongoing war. However, these talks have stalled, with both Moscow and Kyiv attributing the pause to the US's preoccupation with issues in Iran and the Middle East, which intensified at the end of February.

Zelenskyy also revealed intelligence from Ukrainian sources suggesting that Russia plans to increase its military forces following its September elections. He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to create an illusion of domestic support for the war, with an additional mobilization of several hundred thousand troops planned for the end of the year and beyond.

In 2022, Putin initiated a partial military mobilization, enlisting 300,000 recruits. Ukraine has intermittently alleged that Russia intends to escalate its mobilization efforts, claims that Russian officials have consistently denied. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the possibility of further mobilization in March, labeling the discussion as "not on the agenda."

Additionally, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, recently stated there was "no need for mobilization" in Russia, dismissing any related assertions as "false provocation" and "propaganda."