European leaders may soon hold direct talks with Putin, offering Ukraine peace paths that pair a front-line freeze with a no-NATO guarantee or Donbas for alliance membership

European leaders may soon hold direct talks with Vladimir Putin and could offer two paths to peace in Ukraine, according to a Financial Times column by Gideon Rachman.

One option would freeze the war along the current front line in exchange for a guarantee that Ukraine would never join NATO. The other would require Ukraine to give up the rest of the Donbas, after which it would join the alliance.

Rachman writes that European capitals are increasingly opposed to leaving talks with Putin solely to Washington, citing frustration with Donald Trump’s approach. He adds that European leaders are much less confident Putin would accept either proposal.