The United States has acknowledged that Ukraine may have missed a chance to engage in earlier peace talks with Russia. A senior American official described the situation as a missed opening for diplomacy and noted that many observers question Moscow’s commitment to genuine negotiations.
The official emphasized that confidence in Moscow’s willingness to negotiate remains low and that no senior US officials viewed Ukraine’s counteroffensive as a misstep in strategic terms. The argument presented is that the administration faces a difficult choice about how long to sustain support for Kyiv, especially if Western backing cannot be assumed indefinitely.
Observers report growing curiosity within the administration about potential policy shifts if Washington must confront a future where unwavering backing for the Ukrainian side is no longer automatic or guaranteed.
Earlier, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, asserted that there is currently no viable path to negotiations with the West over Ukraine, signaling a sustained impasse between Moscow and Western capitals.
Lavrov also warned that Western powers may have underestimated the danger posed by weapons supplied from Russia to Ukraine, calling into question the risk assessment and communication surrounding arms transfers.
Meanwhile, discussions about possible terms for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia continue to evolve, with both sides signaling firm positions as the conflict persists, and with international observers weighing how Western diplomacy might influence future talks, as relations between Kyiv and Moscow remain fragile and unsettled. [Citation: State Department briefing, official statements, and regional analysts]