Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told European allies that the United States believes the war in Ukraine could last until the end of 2022. In addition, U.S. and European officials increasingly assess that no short-term end is in sight.

That's what CNN reports.

Officials say it is difficult to predict exactly how long the war might last, but some officials have said there is no indication that Russian President Vladimir Putin's ultimate goals have changed.

The idea that this could be a long-term conflict is a marked departure from the early days of the war, when it was expected that Russia would quickly seize the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. However, it only underscores Moscow's failures on the battlefield.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the fighting would last "months or even longer," while two other European officials said the fighting in eastern Ukraine could last four to six months and then reach a stalemate.

A second senior State Department official said, "We've done a lot, and that's why we believe and have always believed in our Ukrainian partners. But when the struggle doubles, so does our commitment to provide them with weapons and equipment they can use."