Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv delivered proposals to end the war to the United States on Tuesday, while warning that Russia is preparing to send hundreds of thousands more troops to the front.
In his Tuesday evening address, Zelensky outlined two opposing paths for the coming months of the war: a new diplomatic effort with Washington, or a major Russian military escalation.
Zelensky said Kyiv's negotiating team handed the proposals to the American side, though he did not reveal their specific content. He said the United States can bolster Ukrainian defense, particularly air defense, while increasing pressure on Moscow to shift Russian plans from prolonging the conflict to preparing for its end.
The appeal comes as Ukraine faces urgent shortages of air defense systems and missiles, particularly Patriot batteries. Deliveries of interceptor missiles to Kyiv fell significantly during 2026 as Russia stepped up its deployment of ballistic missiles, according to Reuters.
Russian Mobilization Plans
Zelensky warned that Ukrainian intelligence revealed Russian preparations for a broad new draft. He said military intelligence chief Oleh Ivashchenko briefed him on Moscow's mobilization plans, which Zelensky claimed were confirmed by internal Russian documents.
According to Zelensky, the unreleased documents show Vladimir Putin plans a rapid mobilization of several hundred thousand Russians by the end of 2026. He added that Moscow intends to draft a similar number in 2027, on top of ongoing regular contract recruitment. The claims regarding internal Russian documents could not be independently verified.
If carried out, the mobilization would pull sons, husbands, and fathers from civilian life into a war that has lasted over four years. Russia previously launched a partial mobilization of about 300,000 reservists in September 2022, triggering a mass exodus of men fleeing the country.
Parliamentary Elections and Party Barring
Zelensky directly linked the draft to Russia's upcoming parliamentary elections in September. He claimed the Kremlin aims to project an image of public support for the war during the vote before initiating the mobilization drive. He added that all political parties permitted to run in the elections oppose peace in one way or another.
Zelensky specifically highlighted Yabloko, the only registered Russian political party that openly advocated for a ceasefire in Ukraine. The Supreme Court of Russia barred Yabloko from the September parliamentary elections following a challenge by the pro-Kremlin Rodina party. Yabloko called the ruling politically motivated and announced plans to appeal the decision.
Monthly Russian Casualties and Forces
To explain why Moscow needs more troops, Zelensky presented estimates of Russian battlefield losses. He claimed Russian military forces fighting in Ukraine lose at least 30,000 personnel every month. These figures provided by Ukraine cannot be independently verified.
Zelensky said the overall size of Russian forces inside Ukraine has gradually declined due to Ukrainian operations, particularly the widespread use of drones. The Ukrainian presidency previously warned in late July of preparations for an autumn mobilization wave. On July 25, Zelensky stated that 221,000 people joined Russian forces during the first seven months of 2026, while Moscow suffered even higher losses.
North Korean Troops and Ballistic Missiles
Zelensky also tied Moscow's troop needs to North Korean military support. He said Putin believes combining domestic mobilization with North Korean forces will allow Russia to prolong the war and intensify attacks. Zelensky previously stated that Kyiv's intelligence suggests up to 50,000 North Korean soldiers could be deployed to Russia, an estimate Reuters noted relies on unreleased Ukrainian intelligence.
Zelensky said Russia again launched North Korean ballistic missiles in overnight strikes targeting Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia from multiple Russian locations. He reported fatalities and dozens of injuries, describing the situation in Zaporizhzhia as severe.
Seven workers were killed and at least 24 injured in a missile strike on the Zaporizhstal steel plant, according to Reuters. Kyiv stated North Korean ballistic missiles were used in the plant attack, though Moscow did not confirm the origin of the missiles. Drone strikes also continued throughout the day across front line communities from Sumy region to Kherson.
Ukrainian Counterstrikes and Special Operations
Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces launched new long-range strikes inside Russian territory. He said the attacks targeted oil industry facilities, logistics infrastructure, and military installations in response to Russian shelling. Kyiv has expanded deep strikes on Russian energy and military sites in recent months to curtail Moscow's ability to fund and supply the war.
Zelensky stated that Ukraine is preparing its own active operations to disrupt Russia's mobilization and offensive plans. He said he assigned specific tasks to Ukraine's intelligence and special services, though he did not disclose operational details.
Zelensky presented the coming months as a choice between diplomacy backed by US support and further Russian military escalation. He did not disclose the specific details of the peace proposals handed to Washington or whether they could serve as a foundation to end the war.
