Zelensky: Trump wants Russia-Ukraine peace deal by June, before midterms focus

• "We had very good talks today having to do with Russia-Ukraine. Something could be happening," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday night.

Driving the news: Senior officials from Russia and Ukraine held on Wednesday and Thursday a second round of negotiations in Abu Dhabi mediated by Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

• Zelensky said Friday the Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi has changed its rhetoric and instead of getting into "historical arguments" conducted a "concrete" discussion on what it is ready to do and what it isn't ready to do.

Zoom in: The talks were held in a military working group that discussed the issue of how to monitor and observe a ceasefire once it is announced.

• Zelensky said that during the talks, the U.S. side confirmed it is going to be actively involved in monitoring a potential future ceasefire.
• Negotiations were also held in a political working group that discussed the main sticking point — Russia's demand that Ukraine withdraws its forces from parts of Donbas it still controls.
• Zelensky said Russia still demands a Ukrainian withdrawal from the parts of Donbas it still holds, but for the first time agreed to discuss the U.S. proposal to establish an economic zone in Donbas to try and bridge the gaps between the parties.
• Nevertheless, he stressed that Ukraine's position is still that the territorial issue will be resolved according to the current lines.

What he's saying: "'We stand where we stand' is the fairest and the most reliable model, in our view, for a ceasefire today," he said.

• "The Americans are proposing that the war be brought to an end by the beginning of this summer, and they will probably pressure the parties according to this timeline," Zelensky said.
• He explained that his understanding was that around June, the U.S. attention will shift to the congressional elections.
• "The elections are, for them, definitely more important. Let's not be naïve," he said. "They say they want to achieve everything by June, and they will do everything possible to ensure the war ends that way."

State of play: Zelensky said that during the talks in Abu Dhabi earlier this week the U.S. proposed to resume the agreement on suspending attacks on energy facilities.

• A similar initiative by Trump two weeks ago led to four days with no Russian attacks on power plants in Ukraine.
• "Ukraine has confirmed; Russia has not yet responded," Zelensky said.
• Zelensky said that Russia and Ukraine discussed in Abu Dhabi for the first time the possibility that the most difficult sticking points that remain will be brought to a trilateral leaders' summit.

The bottom line: Zelensky said the Trump administration refuses to sign the U.S.-Ukraine security guarantees agreement, even though it is practically ready.

• He said the U.S. wants to sign it "roughly at the same time" with all other agreements that are part of the peace deal.
• Zelensky stressed he wants to sign the security guarantees first to increase trust in Ukrainian public opinion that the peace deal will be real.
• "There can be no end to the war without security guarantees," he said. "This is an absolute certainty. Everyone understands this. Ending the war requires security."

What's next: Zelensky said the U.S. has, for the first time, proposed that Ukrainian and Russian negotiators meet in the U.S., likely in Miami in a week to continue the talks.

• "We have confirmed our participation," he said.

Go deeper: U.S. and Russia agree to observe New START nuclear pact after expiration

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.