Pressure mounts from within Biden administration to seek peace in Ukraine

According to the New York Times, Milley "made the case in internal meetings that the Ukrainians have achieved about as much as they could" and "should try to cement their gains at the bargaining table" before winter hits the region.

The reports come after Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced Thursday that the United States will be sending another package of relief to Ukraine including "important air defense contributions like missiles for HAWK air defense systems, as well as Avenger Air Defense Systems that come equipped with Stinger missiles."

The new package equates to another $400 million in military aid.

The US has sent over $60 billion to Ukraine to aid in their ongoing war with their Russian invaders since February.

Inside the Biden White House, other officials pushed back against Milley and said that any break in the fighting or pause for negotiation could give Russian President Vladimir Putin the upper hand. They argue he could use that time to regroup, redouble his efforts, and attack with greater strength.

Milley said in a CNBC interview on Thursday, "We’ve seen the Ukrainian military fight the Russian military to a standstill. Now, what the future holds is not known with any degree of certainty, but we think there are some possibilities here for some diplomatic solutions."

Jake Sullivan, the same day, said in his press conference, "The United States is not pressuring Ukraine. We’re not insisting on things with Ukraine. What we are doing is consulting as partners and showing our support not just through public statements or moral support but through the tangible, physical support of the kind of military assistance I mentioned before."

During a news conference on Wednesday, Biden said, "It remains to be seen whether or not there’ll be a judgment made as to whether or not Ukraine is prepared to compromise with Russia."

In that same conference, Biden said he did not say that Ukraine should give up any territory and "I do know one thing: We’re not going to tell them what they have to do."

Ukraine has gained a strategic victory in recent weeks as Russian forces have pulled out of the city of Kherson.

Current and past officials told the New York Times that in the wake of the administration sending so many mixed signals it has caused the US to lose any nuance they could have had in their role towards Ukraine and Russia. At the moment reports align Biden more with Sullivan's advice to continue military support and less with Milley's push for diplomacy.

California Representative Kevin McCarthy has stated that if the GOP take control of the House they will end the "blank check" of US aid that has been sent to Ukraine.