Talks continue in the West about 'swapping' Ukraine's territories for NATO membership - WSJ

A number of Western officials would like Kiev to make some concessions and "exchange" some of its territories for NATO membership. The Wall Street Journal quoted unnamed Western officials as saying.

According to the newspaper, the USA and its key allies fear that the military conflict on the territory of Ukraine may become long and they will have to provide more and more assistance to Kiev, which will lead to potential financial and economic risks.

In the West, a number of politicians believe that the timeline for the end of the war should not be left to Kiev's discretion, the WSJ wrote.

There are concerns, writes The Wall Street Journal, that Ukraine's "maximalist goals" guarantee an endless war, and so they would like to offer Ukraine a certain agreement. They are talking about "losing" some territories in exchange for NATO or EU membership or promises of long-term military and economic aid.

The publication notes that this is how the West intends to contain the conflict, the consequences of which are felt all over the world.