WSJ: Zelenskyy is signaling openness to peace agreement talks

Kyiv will need about $126 billion in military aid by 2025 to continue fighting the Russian army, the WSJ writes.
However, the new costs may be prohibitively high for Western countries to “politically digest,” especially if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his threats to halt U.S. aid to Ukraine.

According to the report, Zelenskyy is gradually shifting his rhetoric regarding the cessation of hostilities, hinting that Ukraine is “ready to stop the fight for territorial recovery in exchange for NATO membership.”

However, there is an obstacle to Zelenskyy’s idea: Ukraine’s chances of joining NATO in the near future remain slim. As noted, the Ukrainian president’s change in rhetoric reflects Ukrainians’ growing fatigue with the conflict:

“Without NATO membership, Kyiv will have no real security guarantees and will be subject to capitulation in any negotiations with Russia,” the WSJ writes, adding that many Western officials are skeptical that negotiations will take place while Russia is making progress on the battlefield.