The Financial Times wrote that Ukraine is entering the third winter of full-scale war “with a mood darker than ever.”
An editorial in the Financial Times says that in the United States and some other Western countries, sentiment is changing about how and how Russia’s war against Ukraine should end. “The mood is changing from a determination that the war can only end when the Russian army is expelled from Ukraine, to a reluctant acceptance that a negotiated settlement leaves most of the country intact. may be the best hope. However, Kyiv is not given the necessary support even to achieve this reduced goal,” the journalists clarified.
Concerns about the US
The West is worried about the possibility of Republican Donald Trump winning the US election, who, as he promised, will try to quickly end the war unleashed by Russia. At the same time, some American and European officials hope that Trump will at least not force Kyiv into an unfavorable deal with Moscow.
The FT also noted that “some officials in Kyiv” are also worried that they lack the men, gunpower and Western support to retake all the territory Russia has seized.
A painful compromise
According to journalists, there is talk behind closed doors of a deal in which Moscow retains control of the occupied territories – although not recognizing Russian sovereignty – while the rest of the country is allowed to join the NATO or provided with equivalent security guarantees.
However, journalists doubt that Putin will agree to Ukraine joining NATO. It is also doubtful that the dictator will agree to “peace in exchange for land” while his troops, even with heavy losses, continue to seize new territories.
FT editors emphasize that in the remaining three months in power, US President Joe Biden and his European allies are obliged to support Ukraine as much as possible and put it in “the greatest stable position” before a possible Trump presidency or provide a foundation for Kamala Harris.
“The Kremlin may be pushed to negotiate a deal that could be satisfactory to Kyiv and the West if it considers the cost of continuing the war too high,” the article said.
Official position
On October 1, Foreign Minister Andrei Sibiga said that Ukraine will not make compromises related to territorial integrity.
According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” remains unchanged.
“Not territorial compromises, but the full responsibility of Russia and the restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, including Crimea. Otherwise, it will be a postponed war. Europe cannot afford to have grays that area or frozen conflicts,” said Sigaga.
Earlier, the Financial Times, citing unnamed European diplomats, said Sibiga was “more pragmatic” in discussions about compromises with Russia than his predecessor Dmitry Kuleba.
In particular, diplomats argued that Ukrainian representatives, in talks with their Western counterparts, have been more open about accepting a potential ceasefire agreement in which Russian troops would remain in captured territories in exchange for security guarantees for Ukraine. The Ukrainian department denied the FT publication.
The mood of Ukrainians
The number of Ukrainians who consider the complete capitulation of the Russian Federation and its payment of reparations an acceptable condition before concluding peace with the aggressor country decreased from 42% in 2023 to 32% in 2024, according to the results of a study by the Institute of Social and Political Psychology of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine together with the Association of Political Psychologists.
The share of supporters of “more compromise options for peace” increased:
– a return to the state borders of 1991, including Donbass and Crimea, for a peace agreement with the Russian Federation is supported by 27.3% (compared to 25.1% in 2023);
– ceasefire and withdrawal of troops of both sides from the contact line – 14.6% (was 10.9%);
– return to Ukrainian control over territories occupied after February 24, 2022 – 11.5% (from 9.2%);
– make the current line of contact with the aggressor country a state border, if it opens the way for Ukraine to join NATO and the EU – 4.8% (compared to 2.9% in 2023).
Perhaps the situation will change when Ukrainians learn the details of President Vladimir Zelensky’s so-called “Victory Plan”.
“Having understood all the positions of our partners, all the real opportunities for Ukraine, strengthening our Victory Plan, we will make public our strategy for further actions. It is important that the vision as a whole should that is clear to everyone in our country,” Zelensky said in an evening speech on Monday, October 7.
The President said that the partners should decide how they see the end of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“Ukraine’s place is certain in the global security architecture, as well as in joint measures that can put this war on a course to completion,” Zelensky said.
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.