Russia has little time left, Europe even less. What the Western media say about the possible end of the war

EU member states, as well as other European states such as the UK, are now providing almost all the aid flowing to Ukraine, The Economist has said.

In addition, payments on a new €90bn ($105bn) loan for Ukraine will start this month. And anti-Russian sanctions are getting tougher.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's recent successes on the battlefield have revived hope for a diplomatic settlement. Europe is keen to take on the role that the US has failed to fulfil, UNIAN quoted the publication as saying.

We will be part of the solution and we must be part of the discussion," French President Emmanuel Macron said in February this year.

The publication noted that for the first time such words sounded more like a statement of fact rather than a plea.

European support has proved to be more resilient than we could have imagined," EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternova said.

And while Europe's seizure of the initiative gives it leverage, ministers and officials admit that their governments are still searching for a strategy that goes beyond ensuring Ukraine's survival.

The article notes that in recent weeks politicians have prematurely discussed sending an envoy to negotiate with Putin without a clear idea of what the Europeans hope to achieve. Notably, Angela Merkel and Mario Draghi were among the names that appeared.

However, on 28 May, EU foreign policy coordinator Kaja Kallas denied the speculation:

European officials agree that Putin is in a tight spot. However, few see signs that he is willing to make concessions on his demands. This limits the scope for constructive negotiations," Kallas noted.

One official notes that Europe has nothing to offer Putin other than a gradual slowdown in the imposition of new sanctions.

We are not against negotiations if they are real," said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.

Some European governments want to figure out Russia's "red lines" through "mediation" efforts, which may involve individual mediators rather than governments, or non-EU states such as Turkey.

At the same time, serious talks with Putin, with Europe siding with Ukraine as it has in the past, seem a distant prospect.

The most intense discussions about possible negotiations are taking place among the E-3 countries: the UK, France and Germany.

The publication explains that this could reignite fears in Eastern European countries, such as Poland, that Western states may try to "reset" relations with Russia by bypassing them. Ukraine is also sceptical.

If Putin shows a willingness to compromise, Ukraine may have to accept the loss of territory in the eastern Donbass region in order to conclude a ceasefire. Apart from providing as yet vague security guarantees, the best way for Europe to soften this bitter pill is to accelerate Ukraine's EU accession process - something Ukrainians have been striving for since the 2014 Maidan revolution," the publication said.

Last year, during US-led peace talks, there was speculation that Ukraine could join the EU as early as 2027. But while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and others insist on keeping Ukraine's dream alive, that date is completely implausible for a large, partially corrupt country with a per capita income about a third that of Bulgaria. Officials believe Ukraine will be lucky to join in ten years.

This is deepening the gap between Ukraine's extremely high expectations and the willingness of many EU governments to leave the issue unaddressed.

The publication noted that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently proposed "associate membership", under which Ukraine would have access to various EU institutions, but with limited or no voting rights, no subsidies and no access to the single market.

According to the publication, one or more "clusters" of negotiations could be opened at this month's EU summit. But as one European official says, "the accession debate is hypocritical on both sides."

Much to President Zielenski's dismay, certain conditions have been added to the €90bn aid package. The first stage of the accession process involves rule of law reforms until 2027, after which funding will be provided. However, the slow pace of reforms in Ukraine has disappointed European officials.

We want to see more effort from Kiev. They should help us advocate for them," one of them said.

Meanwhile, as the publication notes, time is running out for Europe. Most major European countries will hold elections next year, starting with France in April. Foreign policy analysts fear that if the populist right-wing National Front party wins the presidential election, it will try to renege on some of Europe's commitments, particularly the next round of fundraising. It will undoubtedly be hostile to Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU.