Ukrainian soldiers stand as a ferry transports their colleagues during an exercise during Russia’s attack on Ukraine in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, Nov. 2, 2023. Portal/Gleb Garanich/File Photo acquire license rights
November 4 (Portal) – U.S. and European officials have spoken with the Ukrainian government about what possible peace negotiations with Russia to end the war might mean, NBC quoted an unidentified senior U.S. official and a former U.S. official as saying.
The war in Ukraine, now in its 21st month, has killed or wounded hundreds of thousands and destroyed large swathes of the country. It has also triggered the deepest crisis in Moscow’s relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
NBC said the talks included very broad outlines of what Ukraine might have to give up to reach an agreement with Russia.
Portal could not independently verify the conversations reported by the US television network.
The talks with Ukraine came amid concerns among American and European officials that the war has stalled and also about the West’s ability to continue providing aid to Ukraine, NBC quoted the officials as saying.
Russia currently controls about 17.5% of Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory.
Moscow says it needs to launch a so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine in response to what it says is a hostile and aggressive West using Kiev to undermine Russia. Kiev and its Western allies say this is nonsense and that Moscow’s actions are an imperial-style land grab.
The Kremlin says it will achieve all of its goals in Ukraine.
Kiev says it wants to take back control of all territory captured by Russia, including Crimea, annexed in 2014, and will not rest until every last soldier is driven from its territory.
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge. Editing by Gareth Jones
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