Ukrainian military and politicians are ready for negotiations with Russia – The Telegraph

Ukrainian soldiers are exhausted and ready for negotiations with Russia. There has also been a “shift” in the rhetoric of the Ukrainian authorities, who no longer demand the return of all territories.

This was reported by the British newspaper “The Telegraph”.

“We are ready for negotiations, but we are simply asking the West to insist on our interests,” said Ukrainian Armed Forces Lieutenant Yulia Mikitenko, a drone reconnaissance platoon commander.

According to her, the chance to win the war was lost in 2023.

“Our motivation, to be honest, is much lower than it was even a year ago. So yes, we had a great chance to end this by 2023 if we had received everything we asked for, but now it is almost impossible. We won’t recover the strength we had in 2022, at least not for another 10 years,” Mikitenko stated.

The publication writes that the former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, “hinted this week that Ukraine might accept a peace agreement that would cede part of its land to Russia.”

When asked if he could envision victory without the return of all lost territories, he said: “I didn’t mention territories. I mentioned security, safety, and the feeling of being at home.”

“Personally, as Valerii Zaluzhnyi, if I lived in my home and knew that my neighbor took part of my garden, I would say that we need to resolve this issue. If not now, then your sons will have to resolve it,” the Ukrainian ambassador added.

“This is a subtle but profound shift in the official rhetoric, which previously insisted on no peace until all of Ukraine’s territory was returned,” the publication notes.

Some Western officials say their goal now is to help Ukraine hold on.

“We are thinking about how we can support [Zelensky] in getting what he needs to hold onto Pokrovsk and the land there in Kursk,” a source said.

According to him, the West expects “tension in Russia to start rising in 2025 and 2026.” The newspaper suggests this pushes Kyiv toward a prolonged war of attrition. But it is unclear if Ukraine can endure such a long-term effort, given that in some areas of the front, Russian forces are steadily advancing.

Russia is also increasing drone strikes and may involve North Korean troops in the conflict. In addition, Russia is supported by Iran and China.

“Can Ukraine defeat this alliance alone? Perhaps not,” Zaluzhnyi said this week (note that Ukraine is not fighting “alone,” as it is almost entirely supplied by the major NATO countries – Ed.).

Regarding freezing the war along the front line, Western officials believe Putin is not interested in that at the moment and wants to wait for the end of the U.S. elections.

“We see evidence that people around him are concerned about the cost of the war, and I believe Putin is aware of that. But for now, our fairly confident assessment is that his military objectives in Ukraine have not changed,” an official stated.

Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called Zelensky’s “victory plan” frightening and urged peace talks.