Stoltenberg Says Ukraine May Have to Accept Territorial Losses for Peace

Ukraine may have to cede some territory to Russia in order to achieve peace and security guarantees, the former NATO chief has said.

Jens Stoltenberg, who recently stepped down as NATO secretary-general, said Ukraine might need to accept the loss of some of its territory to Russia in order to secure peace and obtain security guarantees. In an interview with the Financial Times, Stoltenberg suggested that Ukraine may need to reconsider its insistence on regaining all its territory as a precondition for any peace deal.

Stoltenberg expressed optimism that a new momentum might arise after the US presidential election in November, potentially opening up opportunities to combine military advancements with diplomatic progress. He emphasized the need for the West to create conditions that enable Ukraine to engage in negotiations with Russia, leading to an acceptable outcome where Ukraine survives as an independent nation.

Drawing a parallel with the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939, Stoltenberg proposed that Ukraine could seek security guarantees from NATO even if it accepts a border that does not fully align with international recognition. He cited the US defense pact with Japan, which does not cover the Kuril Islands claimed by Japan, and the admission of West Germany into NATO despite East Germany being under Soviet control.

He suggested that solutions could be found, but emphasized that a clearly defined border needs to exist, within which Ukraine must exercise control, for NATO’s Article 5, the mutual defense commitment, to be applicable.

Russia has consistently rejected Zelensky’s ten-point peace plan and refused to relinquish control over Crimea and other territories claimed by Ukraine. The recent setbacks in Ukraine’s counteroffensive and Russia’s gains in Donbass have seemingly diminished Kiev’s leverage.