Talks between Kyiv and Moscow remain ongoing as officials attempt to bring an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
One of the concerns from the Russian side is Ukraine’s determination to join the NATO military alliance.
But Russian officials say that there are signs that Ukraine is willing to compromise in a bid to bring peace in the country, the Mirror reports.
The Kremlin has said that negotiators are discussing a status for Ukraine that is similar to that of Austria or Sweden.
Both countries are members of the European Union but are outside NATO.
Ukraine’s chief negotiator said that the country is continuing to demand a ceasefire and a withdrawal of all Russian troops with guarantees.
The country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said that Ukraine could accept international security guarantees that stopped short of its longstanding aim to join NATO.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: “Neutral status is now being seriously discussed along, of course, with security guarantees.
“There are absolutely specific formulations which in my view are close to agreement.”
Vladimir Medinsky, Russia’s chief negotiation, told Russian state TV: “Ukraine is offering an Australian or Swedish version of a neutral demilitarised state, but at the same time a state with its own army and navy.”
Austria and Sweden, who are the biggest of six EU members outside NATO, both have small militaries that cooperate with the military alliance.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said this “could really be seen as a compromise".
However, one Ukrainian MP has said that it would be difficult for her country to give up its NATO ambitions.
Lesia Vasylenko, a member of Ukraine’s Holos party, told ITV’s Peston programme: “Joining NATO for Ukraine, it’s a course that we have decided to take and proscribed it specifically in our constitution.
“So it would be very difficult to give that course up, that would mean changes to the constitution.
“Today, as the escalation of Russia’s aggression grows against Ukraine, the support for NATO grows with it.”
Earlier, Boris Johnson said that there was ‘no way’ that Ukraine will join the military alliance ‘any time soon’.
A frustrated President Zelensky expressed disappointment that Ukraine had not been allowed to join NATO.
He added: “This is the truth and we have simply to accept it as it is.”
The Financial Times has reported that a draft proposal for a peace plan with Russia includes a promise for Ukraine not join NATO or host foreign military bases.
Zelensky, since addressing the London summit, has suggested peace talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations had started to produce hope of a ceasefire.
In his nightly video address to the nation early on Wednesday, the president said Russia's demands were becoming "more realistic".
Johnson said decisions about the future of the country had to "be for the Ukrainian people" and their "elected leader" to make, as he vowed Britain would continue to "back" Zelensky.
