A senior Ukrainian official has suggested that Kyiv will be willing to negotiate with Moscow, if the country's troops advance to Russian-controlled Crimea, and if other conditions are in place.

Observers say Ukrainian forces could use tanks and other weapons supplied by Western nations to launch a large-scale counteroffensive as early as this spring.

The online edition of The Financial Times on Wednesday ran an interview with Andriy Sybiha, the deputy head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office.

Sybiha said, "If we will succeed in achieving our strategic goals on the battlefield and when we will be on the administrative border with Crimea, we are ready to open a diplomatic page to discuss this issue."

The official added, "It doesn't mean that we exclude the way of liberation of Crimea by our army." He stressed that Ukraine also has considered the plans to retake Crimea by force.

Zelenskyy stated emphatically on Wednesday that Ukraine will not make concessions.

His remark indicates that Ukraine will attempt to recapture Russian-occupied areas by every means available.