Ukraine may have to compromise with Russia – Stoltenberg — RT World News
The NATO Secretary-General said it was up to the West to make sure Kiev reached an “acceptable outcome.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine may eventually have to agree to some kind of settlement with Russia to end the conflict.
In an interview with the BBC published on Saturday, the NATO Secretary General stressed that the West must support Ukraine in the long term. “Even if we believe and hope that the war will end in the near future.” He added that Western countries should invest in Kiev's defense capabilities to make it more resilient in the event of future hostilities.
At the same time, he noted that it is up to Ukraine to choose when and under what conditions to seek peace with Russia. He added: “Ultimately, it should be Ukraine that decides what kind of concessions it is willing to make.” Stoltenberg said, adding that the West's role is to help Kiev reach a negotiating position that could lead to an agreement “Acceptable result”
However, Stoltenberg stressed that he was not pushing Kiev towards any concessions, adding that “True peace” This can only be achieved with a Ukrainian victory.
Earlier this week, the NATO chief made a strong appeal for long-term support for Kiev, urging the bloc's members to… “Relying less on voluntary contributions and more on NATO commitments.” According to several reports, Stoltenberg proposed a military aid package for Ukraine worth 100 billion euros ($107 billion) over five years. The exact details of the initiative are said to be under discussion now.
Throughout the conflict, Russia remained open to talks with Ukraine. However, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky banned any negotiations with the current leadership in Moscow after four former Ukrainian regions voted overwhelmingly to join Russia in the fall of 2022.
The Ukrainian leader was calling for a ten-point “peace formula” requiring Moscow to withdraw its forces from territories that Kiev claims belong to it, in addition to establishing a court to try Russian officials for alleged war crimes. Moscow rejected this initiative and described it as… “Detached from reality.”
In an interview with Politico on Saturday, Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, claimed that while Ukrainians were tired of the conflict, they would strongly oppose any settlement with Russia.
However, Zelensky indicated last month that a return to Ukraine's 1991 borders was no longer a precondition for negotiations with Russia. However, he still insists that Kiev must regain territory lost to Moscow in 2022.
Moscow said Ukraine should take into account the fact that its borders have changed significantly since the start of hostilities.
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