According to the publication, there is no evidence that the illegitimate president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, is seeking an agreement to end the war, but journalists speculate that he must be looking for a way out of the situation.
The authors of the article emphasize that American officials from both former President Joe Biden's and Donald Trump's camps "acknowledge that Russia is likely to retain its troops on about 20% of the territory of Ukraine that it currently occupies."
This ceasefire, the NYT points out, may resemble the truce that halted but did not end the Korean War in 1953.
One of the likely security measures mentioned by the media is the deployment of European peacekeeping forces involving the UK, Germany, and France.
The issue of military support for Ukraine remains central. The media reports that senior officials in the Biden administration believe that the U.S. should maintain its role as Ukraine's main partner in supplying weapons, intelligence, and coordinating actions. This is expected to provide the necessary leverage.
At the same time, the Russian side may seek broader concessions, such as the withdrawal of American troops from Europe, the article notes.