US official nudges Kyiv seek peace negotiations with Russia - WSJ

The Wall Street Journal reported on the situation, citing its sources.

“Washington has signaled to Ukraine that at a minimum Kyiv needs to appear open to a negotiated solution. Mr. Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, conveyed that message to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” the publication writes.

In particular, Sullivan recommended reconsidering the declared goal of liberating Crimea.

“Two European diplomats briefed on the discussions said Mr. Sullivan recommended that Mr. Zelensky’s team start thinking about its realistic demands and priorities for negotiations, including a reconsideration of its stated aim for Ukraine to regain Crimea, which was annexed in 2014,” WSJ claims.

Meanwhile, some of the US's European allies believe that Ukraine has little reason to agree to any negotiations at this moment. They stress that the Ukrainian army can regain more territory if Western weapons continue to flow.

At the same time, public calls for negotiations may harm Ukraine's efforts and play into Russia's hands. If the war ends now, "the message the Ukrainians would get is that their fight was meaningless." And Russia would get time to rebuild its economy under sanctions and refit.