Six months into Russia’s latest war with Ukraine, it’s hard to see how it ends. Complete military victory by either side is unlikely. This means the end of this war will be shaped by the battlefield, but it won’t be secured there. It will come from negotiations molded by motivations of both sides and the realities of the conflict as they develop.
Ultimately it will be up to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government to determine what is in the best interest of the Ukrainian people. But if Ukraine’s partners want to help it reach a palatable peace, they should not only help Kyiv shape the conflict with military support but facilitate avenues for future talks too.
Some supporters of Ukraine find it blasphemous for Kyiv to even consider making concessions to reach a peace. Zelenskyy, however, has repeatedly called on Western partners to help bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
