Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi is changing his rhetoric regarding the war with Russia. His statements about the possibility of diplomatic solutions for the return of occupied territories and the idea of Ukraine's membership in NATO even without the liberation of all regions cause mixed reactions in society and abroad. Is this a step towards peace or a forced reaction to military and political realities?
During a series of interviews, Zelenskyi expressed his readiness to consider ending the war under the condition of security guarantees for Ukraine, in particular through joining NATO. Even recently, he firmly stated the need for the full return of the territories, but now the president notes that the Ukrainian army does not yet have enough resources to liberate all the occupied regions.
"Our army does not have enough forces to liberate the occupied territories. We must find diplomatic solutions," said Zelensky in an interview with the Japanese Kyodo News .
The idea of a temporary "freezing" of the conflict is gaining weight, but Zelensky himself emphasized that this is possible only from a position of strength, because without it, Russian aggression may resume in the future.
One of the central elements of the new strategy is Zelensky's desire to integrate Ukraine into NATO even in the current conditions. However, the prospects for membership look uncertain, because the Alliance is not ready to accept a country with an unfinished conflict.
Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hinted that even a temporary handover of occupied territories to Russia may be permissible if Kyiv receives serious security guarantees. However, such a compromise remains a painful issue for Ukrainian society.
The level of support for protracted hostilities among Ukrainians is decreasing. Gallup poll shows that 52% of the population favors negotiations, compared to only 27% last year. This shows that Ukrainian society is increasingly looking for alternatives to endless confrontation.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called for a focus on increasing military aid to Ukraine. At the same time, the European Union promises to support Kyiv "as much as necessary." But the financial support needed by Ukraine is impressive — for 2024 alone, the government estimates the need for 120 billion euros.
If Donald Trump's administration, in the event of his return to power, cuts aid, as he has repeatedly promised, Ukraine may find itself in a difficult situation.
Russia, as before, shows no interest in peace negotiations. The Kremlin is spending significant resources to continue the war, even though daily casualties exceed a thousand soldiers. Moscow insists that Kyiv should give up its intention to join NATO, and only this can become the basis for a peaceful settlement.
