Kyrylo Budanov, a former head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, ‌said that he saw progress towards a deal, but declined to say what a potential compromise on territory, a key stumbling block, would look like.

“No final decision has been made ​yet,” he said, according to the report. “But, in principle, everyone now clearly ​understands the limits of what is acceptable. That’s enormous progress.”

“They all understand the war needs to end. That’s why they are negotiating,” Budanov ​said in an interview with Bloomberg on April 4. “I don’t think it will be ​long.”

Budanov was appointed head of Zelensky’s office in January and has become a key Ukrainian negotiator during US-brokered talks between Kyiv and Moscow.

The only tangible outcome from several rounds of talks ​this year was the exchange of prisoners of war. In the latest exchange ​in March, Ukraine and Russia swapped 500 POWs.

Another prisoner swap was possible ahead of the ‌Orthodox ? Easter this weekend, Ukrainian officials said.

Russia, Ukraine agree to Easter ceasefire

Russia announced a 32-hour ceasefire over two days for Orthodox Easter, and Ukraine agreed to reciprocate that.

The Kremlin said the ceasefire would be in effect from Saturday at 4 pm (1300 GMT) ​to midnight (2100 GMT) ​on Sunday.

Budanov said that Kyiv and Moscow maintained “maximalist” positions in the talks so far, but believed the positions would be closer in the ​search for a compromise.

Russia demands that Ukraine withdraw from parts ​of Donbas that Kyiv still controls. Ukraine refuses to do so.

Zelensky has said that, given a ceasefire between the US and Iran in the Middle East, a new trilateral meeting of ​negotiating teams could take place soon.

He said that the spring and summer months would be difficult for Ukraine as it would face pressure on the battlefield ​and also diplomatically to end the war.