Ukraine may have to compromise eventually with Russia: NATO
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg claims Ukraine would be the one to set the rules for a compromise to reach a result with the help of the West.
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addresses a media conference after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (Pool Photo via AP)
In an interview with the BBC, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed that Ukraine will ultimately have to compromise in some way with Russia to end the war.
He explained that however, the West must support Ukraine in the long term "even if we believe and hope that the war will end in the near future" and invest in its defense capabilities in case of future hostilities.
He also claimed that Ukraine would set its own conditions to seek peace with Russia.
"At the end of the day, it has to be Ukraine that decides what kind of compromises they’re willing to do," he said, noting that it is the responsibility of the West to help it reach a negotiating position for an "acceptable result."
Nonetheless, he continued to say that "real peace" can only be achieved with victory in Ukraine.
No compromise with Russia?
This comes a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, told Politico that even if Ukrainians were tired of the war, they would still oppose compromising with Russia.
Just last week, NATO Foreign Ministers discussed how to establish long-term military support for Ukraine. Among the agenda items discussed was Stoltenberg's proposal for a $107 billion five-year fund and another "Trump-proof" plan.
Read next: NATO ready for war with Russia: NATO Military Committee
According to diplomats, Stoltenberg's proposal offers the alliance a more direct role in the coordination of military supplies with Ukraine, knowing that EU countries have been involved in assisting Kiev with mostly non-lethal aid, for fear of triggering a European escalation with Russia.
Some diplomats made the observation that some deliveries did not trigger an escalation between Russia and the EU, signaling that Russian President Vladimir Putin had reservations, despite threats that he would regard various steps taken by NATO allies as escalatory.
The plans are set to be further dissected during the two-day gathering in Brussels for the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The meeting will also serve to prepare for the July summit of alliance leaders anticipated to take place in Washington.
