TASS reported that European Union (EU) Foreign and Security Policy Commissioner Josep Borrell believes that the conflict in Ukraine would end in 15 days without Western support for Kiev.
"Many want the conflict to end as soon as possible," Borrell said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper 20 Minutos.
"If we stop supporting Ukraine, the war will end in 15 days and Russian President Vladimir Putin will achieve his goal. But do we want that for the Ukrainian people and for our own safety, for the Europeans?" - Mr. Borrell added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stressed that the provision of new weapons to Ukraine will not change the situation on the front line, but only cause damage and prolong the conflict.
In another development, the Kremlin responded to speculation about a territorial exchange deal for Ukraine's security.
RT quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that there was no "realistic basis" for the press reports on the plan.
Last week, the Financial Times reported that some Ukrainian and Western officials believe that Kiev should stop efforts to retake by force the territories lost to Russia since 2014.
According to the British newspaper, the proposal assumes that "mserious security guarantees could serve as a basis for a negotiated solution in which Russia would maintain effective control, but not legally, over the entire or part of Ukraine".
The newspaper said that this approach implies "implied acceptance that those lands will be reclaimed through diplomatic means in the future".
Speaking on October 7, spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, "there are many publications writing on this issue, many different economic theories... But there is no factual basis behind any of these discussions."
Commenting on the Financial Times article, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed in a video address on October 5 that he intends to ensure "credible peace and security" for his country "without any regard for sovereignty or territorial exchanges".
President Zelensky added that Kiev will continue to promote the "victory plan" in the West. Although not made public, some media outlets said that Mr. Zelensky's roadmap called for Western NATO-style security guarantees for Kiev, as well as continuing the offensive in Russia's Kursk province and transferring advanced Western-made weapons.
According to Bloomberg, the Ukrainian leader received a backlash when he presented his vision to US President Joe Biden and other senior officials in Washington last month.
Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia was ready to immediately cease fire and begin peace negotiations as soon as Ukraine withdrew troops from Donetsk and Lugansk with Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
However, in August, Mr. Putin said he would rule out any involvement with Kiev as long as Ukrainian forces still occupied parts of Russia's Kursk region.
