According to the most recent press briefing by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russia may be willing to accept Ukraine adopting a “neutral” non-aligned military status, allowing Kyiv to keep its army.

Journalist Kevin Rothrock, who translated Mr. Peskov’s note, tweeted: “Seemingly very good news: Moscow signals that it might accept Austrian/Swedish-style neutrality in Ukraine.” Specifically, Kyiv would pledge nonalignment (no foreign military bases) while maintaining its own military. Russia may accept this as a form of ‘demilitarisation.’

“Reducing sanctions will be critical.”

“This is a variant that is currently being discussed and could be seen as a compromise,” Mr Peskov was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency.

The reference to demilitarisation appeared to be in reference to Ukraine’s neutral status.

NATO promised Ukraine that it would become a member of the alliance as early as 2008. Russia has stated that it will not allow this to happen and has cited it as part of the reasoning behind its so-called special military operation in Ukraine.

Peskov was responding to comments made by Russia’s chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, who earlier told state television: “Ukraine is offering an Austrian or Swedish version of a neutral demilitarised state, but at the same time a state with its own army and navy.”

In response to the proposal, Ukraine’s top negotiator, Mikhailo Podolyak, stated, “Ukraine is now at war with Russia.”

“As a result, the model can only be ‘Ukrainian,’ and it can only be based on legally verifiable security guarantees.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that peace talks were sounding more realistic, but that more time was needed, as Russian airstrikes killed five people in Kyiv and the number of refugees displaced by Moscow’s invasion reached 3 million.

Moscow has not taken control of any of Ukraine’s ten largest cities since its incursion began on February 24, the largest assault on a European state since 1945.

Ukrainian officials have expressed optimism that the war will end sooner than expected, possibly by May, claiming that Moscow is coming to terms with its failure to impose a new government by force and that it is running out of new troops.

“The meetings continue, and I’ve been told that the positions taken during the negotiations are already sounding more realistic. However, more time is required for decisions to be made in Ukraine’s best interests “In a video address ahead of the next round of talks, Zelensky stated.

In a possible compromise, Zelensky previously stated that Ukraine was willing to accept security guarantees from the West that fell short of its long-term goal of joining NATO. Moscow regards Ukraine’s future membership in the Western alliance as a threat.

Mr. Peskov stated that predicting progress in the talks was premature. “The work is difficult, and the fact that (the talks) are continuing is probably positive in the current situation.”

Russia refers to its actions in Ukraine as a “special military operation” to demilitarise and “denazify” the country. Ukraine and its Western allies see this as a sham pretext for a war of choice, raising fears of wider conflict in Europe.

According to the White House, US President Joe Biden will make his first trip to Europe since Russia invaded Ukraine next week to discuss the crisis with NATO allies.

On March 24, Biden will attend a NATO leaders meeting at the military alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, will also be present.

On Wednesday, Biden is expected to announce an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine, according to a White House official.

According to officials and diplomats, NATO is set to instruct its military commanders on Wednesday to develop plans for new ways to deter Russia from future military action, including more troops and missile defences in eastern Europe.

“We must reset our military posture in response to this new reality,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Tuesday. “Ministers will begin an important discussion on concrete measures to strengthen our security in all domains over the long term.”

At least ten of NATO’s most powerful allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, have sent more troops, ships, and warplanes to its eastern flank, with more on standby.