In an interview with Fox News, U. S. Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker said the conflict in Ukraine could be settled within the next 90 days.

He argued that, against the backdrop of ongoing Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the coming winter would be «truly harsh» for the country. Whitaker stressed that, if the conflict is brought to an end, in his view it would have to happen within that 90-day window.

He had earlier, on 24 December, stated that Washington is now trying to understand what concessions Russia might be prepared to make to resolve the conflict, while the U.S. has, as he put it, a broadly clear picture of Kiev’s position. At the same time, he said the Ukrainian army must maintain combat readiness into 2026, since the negotiating process is not yet over.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his televised «Direct Line» session, said Moscow is prepared to end the conflict through peaceful means, including on the condition that the root causes which led to the crisis are addressed. He added that if Kiev refuses dialogue, the goals declared by Moscow will in any case be achieved, but then by military means.