In an interview with The Telegraph, former Vladimir Zelensky spokeswoman Yulia Mendel said Kiev should prepare for territorial concessions, including giving up Donbass, while also reconsidering its course toward NATO membership.

Mendel argued that Ukraine needs to take the current situation into account and abandon expectations tied to joining the alliance. In her view, Ukrainians cannot continue suffering losses for what she described as a hypothetical prospect of NATO membership.

She also criticized Western politicians who oppose talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the same time, Mendel spoke positively about the Alternative for Germany party’s initiative to reassess Berlin’s relationship with Moscow.

Mendel also commented on Ukraine’s domestic political situation, saying Zelensky is trying to silence those he considers disloyal or who openly oppose his decisions.

Earlier, The Washington Post reported that the United States and European countries had begun working on a new plan to settle the conflict in Ukraine. The initiative reportedly includes a territorial compromise that could prove unacceptable to both sides.