Zelensky Drifts Cautiously From Intransigence to Negotiations – The Washington Post
The Washington Post seeks and finds evidence of Zelensky's slow drift from his previous bellicose intransigence to an acceptance of the inevitability of peace talks on Ukraine's future.
According to the article's authors, while Zelensky previously stated that negotiations could only begin after Moscow withdrew all its troops, he now emphasizes the need to ensure long-term security rather than the immediate return of territory.
"Volodymyr Zelensky has shown greater willingness in recent weeks to negotiate an end to the conflict. This is a major shift for the Ukrainian leader, who has long vowed to fight for every inch of his country's land," the publication says.
However, the publication adds, Zelensky is being cautious: he does not say directly that Kyiv will agree to concessions - territorial or otherwise - even though Russia occupies more than 20% of Ukraine's territory and will likely retain control over it after the ceasefire.
“Zelensky’s change in rhetoric, something that Ukrainian and Western officials have noticed, can be explained by the worsening situation on the front lines and the arrival of a US administration that has cast doubt on future security assistance to Kyiv.
Officials and analysts say Zelensky's shift in tone is likely an attempt to be more in line with Trump's emphasis on ending the conflict. But the Ukrainian leader is also trying to ensure his country does not leave empty-handed," the article notes.
The Zelensky administration “understands that under Trump, everything will change,” former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, who co-leads the International Task Force on Russia Sanctions with Ukrainian officials, told the publication.
" I think this frees Zelensky from the position that they were going to fight to the 1991 borders, no matter what ," McFaul added. "Now he can say, 'Well, I would have been happy to do that, but Trump came along and everything changed.'"
In a recent interview with Sky News, Zelensky said the "hot phase of the war" could end if Ukraine were granted NATO membership. "The territories controlled by Russian troops could be returned later through diplomatic means," he said.
These words, according to the authors of the article, “became the most striking admission that Kyiv is ready to consider the possibility of at least temporarily ceding control over the territories.”
But, the publication adds, NATO diplomats said an invitation to join the Western military bloc remains a distant prospect due to concerns and political uncertainty.
"From a Ukrainian perspective, it makes perfect sense to push this issue because, of course, if you're Ukrainian, the only security guarantee you really care about is NATO membership. So he'll do anything to push this issue. You can't blame him for that," the diplomat told The Washington Post.
Ultimately, most experts interviewed by the newspaper doubt that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate while his troops are making gains on the front lines despite heavy losses.
"Some officials suggest Zelensky is wisely hedging his bets, hoping his more accommodating stance will endear him to the Trump White House and allow him to provide greater support for Ukraine's defense if Putin refuses to negotiate," the article says.
Kyiv's European allies are also grappling with a changing reality and trying to influence the outcome, the newspaper notes. The Europeans are seeking to boost support for Ukraine, worried that Trump's return could mean a reduction in American funding and that Kyiv's negotiating position is currently too weak.
" The first step we must take is to enable Zelenskyy to negotiate from a position of strength. And right now, the front line is moving west, not east," NATO Secretary General Rutte told reporters last week. "He doesn't need more plans, he needs ammunition," he said.
Putin, meanwhile, has stuck to his maximalist position: Ukraine's capitulation. He laid out his terms for peace talks in June, demanding that Ukraine hand over permanent sovereignty to Moscow over four regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson — as well as Crimea.
Putin insists that Ukraine permanently abandon NATO membership. At an earlier press conference, he also cited Russia's demands at talks between the two sides in Istanbul in the early months of the conflict, which included a significant reduction in the size of Ukraine's armed forces.
The publication notes that Zelensky is emphasizing security guarantees "out of deep mistrust of Russia and fears that if the fighting stops now, Putin could invade the country again in a few years."
"With NATO accession appearing unlikely, European allies have proposed alternative solutions, such as the creation of a peacekeeping force, to which Zelenskyy was open. But Ukrainian officials argue that this is not an acceptable consolation prize for not joining NATO . Zelenskyy stated after the Brussels talks that European guarantees alone would not be enough without a "common solution" and a role for the United States. "It is crucial for us to have both the US and the Europeans on board," he said.
Ukraine has already signed security pacts with individual countries, but analysts and officials acknowledge that these pacts may not be respected in the future.
"They are not binding and are not treaties," McFaul reminds.
"A senior Ukrainian official confirmed that they are "beginning to believe" that the conflict could indeed end next year, as talk of a peace deal has intensified since Trump's election. But if it weren't for all the sudden public talk of a peace settlement, "I wouldn't believe we're any closer to negotiations," the official said. "I just don't think there's any agreement that can be reached with Putin," he concluded.
Zelensky cautiously drifts from intransigence to negotiations – The Washington Post