NEW YORK, October 18. /TASS/. Prospects for Ukraine are getting gloomier and gloomier, that's why pressure is growing in Washington for a negotiated settlement of the conflict, Bloomberg columnist Hal Brands said in an article.

According to him, the Ukrainian armed forces are losing and are running out of manpower and ammunition.

"As the outlook in Ukraine darkens, there is growing pressure in Washington for a negotiated settlement," the columnist wrote. At the same time, Brands pointed out that none of the plans of US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris so far provide an answer to how to "turn a deteriorating battlefield situation into a decent peace" for Kiev.

Earlier, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said that the United States is discussing with Ukraine Kiev's needs for arms supplies, but did not comment on Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's plan.

On October 16, Zelensky presented his plan for ending the conflict, in which he ruled out territorial concessions. It includes a call for an immediate invitation to NATO, the transfer of new military aid to Ukraine, long-range strikes deep inside Russia, and the use of European air defenses to protect Ukrainian territory. The plan also calls for the creation of some kind of "comprehensive non-nuclear strategic deterrence package" on Ukrainian territory and the post-conflict reconstruction of the country with the assistance of Western countries. The document contains secret annexes that were presented only to NATO states with significant military capabilities.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed Zelensky's ideas as a series of incoherent slogans. According to her, he is pushing NATO into a direct conflict with Russia.