Ukraine's allies believe that President Volodymyr Zelenskyi may change his approach to the terms of ending the war. Currently, NATO is looking for ways to end hostilities, write Bloomberg with reference to informed sources among senior NATO officials.
Although Zelensky publicly stated Ukraine's main demands — the complete withdrawal of Russian troops and NATO membership — he also ruled out any concessions on sovereignty or territory. However, given that the country is preparing for the third winter of war, and the support of the West is beginning to weaken, Ukrainian officials have hinted at the need to start discussions on a strategy to end the conflict.
It was expected that this would be discussed in more detail at the Rammstein-style meeting. However, US President Joe Biden canceled his visit due to Hurricane Milton. At the same time, Zelensky is seeking to garner support for his victory plan, which includes concrete steps for a just end to the war.
US officials have asked Kyiv to develop an action plan for the coming year, including military support and financial aid. Zelenskyi promised to provide details after consultations with allies. However, he categorically rejects the possibility of territorial concessions, despite the fact that some Western partners are pressuring Ukraine for a clearer vision of the end of the war.
"We invite our partners to determine how they see the end of this war, the place of Ukraine in the architecture of global security and joint steps that can bring this war to an end", — said Zelenskyi on Monday.
Since Kyiv has yet to reveal all the details of its "victory plan," one official suggested that Ukrainian officials may have an element of strategic ambiguity that gives them room to move forward.
Ukraine's membership in NATO remains one of the main issues that divides the allies. According to officials, Biden is under pressure to send Kiev a direct invitation to join the alliance. And while it is unlikely that the US president will do so, such a proposal is seen as a potential chip for any negotiations involving the Kremlin. At the same time, according to some analysts, reliable bilateral security guarantees, especially from the US, could de facto replace membership.
In addition, the political situation in the USA, in particular the presidential election, may affect the course of the war. Democratic candidate Kamala Harris is undecided about Ukraine joining NATO, while Donald Trump is promising to end the war quickly, perhaps not to Kyiv's advantage.
European countries are also facing financial difficulties, which makes it difficult to provide aid to Ukraine. In addition, Kyiv faced a demand from the Global South to intensify peace negotiations with Russia.
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