The US administration is considering the possibility of separate economic and other deals with Russia even before the war in Ukraine ends, The New York Times reported, citing its sources. According to the information, the talks fit into the broader attempts by Washington to find a path to de-escalation and a possible agreement, but without a final breakthrough.
The topic arises against the backdrop of intensified diplomatic contacts between the US, Russia and Ukraine. Reuters reported in recent days that US envoys have held talks in Moscow and Kiev on ideas for ending the war, and the Kremlin has described the meetings as useful but with no signs of a breakthrough.
Tusk: Ukrainian army suffers record losses
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Ukraine is suffering record losses, his words being reported by international media after his statement in the context of the war and security in the region. Tusk did not present a full methodology for the assessment in his statement, and his statement remains a political and analytical assessment, not official military statistics.
Earlier, British Deputy Defense Minister Luke Pollard told the media that Russian losses in Ukraine are very high, and Western and Ukrainian estimates of casualties and material damage on the front continue to differ significantly. Neither Kiev nor Moscow has published independent and complete data that would allow for an undisputed verification of all assessments.
What has been confirmed and what remains open
It has been confirmed that American diplomacy is in motion and that, according to The New York Times, the White House is discussing options for deals with Russia before the end of the war. It has also been confirmed that Donald Tusk has made a public statement about heavy losses of Ukrainian forces. It has not been confirmed that there is a final US decision to reach an agreement with Moscow, nor that there are officially independent statistics confirming “record” losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The development comes at a time when Washington is simultaneously seeking a political solution to the conflict and increasing pressure on Moscow through new sanctions initiatives. This puts diplomatic signals and military assessments at the center of a new phase of the war, in which public statements by individual leaders remain a key guide for next moves.
Sources: The New York Times, Reuters, AP, IRNA