Ukrainian leaders are starting to discuss giving up Ukraine’s former territories as part of a peace deal with Russia to an end.
One senior Ukrainian official conceded to a German magazine that any peace proposal must be advantageous for Russia for Moscow to take it seriously.
The un-named source also expressed concern that, no matter who wins the US presidential election next month, Washington will cut its previously-generous support to Ukraine.
The prospects of losing foreign military aid — which has prolonged the conflict until now — along with growing unrest in Ukrainian society may explain the shift from Kiev's previous position of refusing to negotiate with Russia while President Vladimir Putin remains in office, along with other maximalist demands.
But the magazine warned that there are still powerful figures in Ukraine who remain staunchly opposed to any peace talks.
Kiev’s insistence on joining NATO is a major obstacle to efforts to resolve the Ukrainian conflict through diplomacy. Russia insists that Ukraine must remain neutral and unaligned to any military bloc.