Jens Stoltenberg has described the situation as undesirable and warned against resting on a peace deal Russia “designates”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia should not be suspended at this stage and a just solution must be found. He also expressed confidence that Kiev would one day join the US-led military bloc, but added that was not a priority.
In an interview with Germany’s Welt am Sonntag published on Sunday, Stoltenberg argued that while “We all want this war to end,“only one”only‘Peace can last forever.
“Peace does not mean freezing the conflict and accepting the deal Russia demands,’ he asserted, adding:Only Ukraine can determine acceptable conditions.“
Stoltenberg calls for “believable“Security in Kiev after conflict ends,”Make it impossible for Russia to rearm and attack again.“
Asked about the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO, Stoltenberg predicted it would happen sometime in the future. However, he said the immediate priority was to ensure that “Ukraine prevails as a sovereign and independent state.“
He also revealed that the current member states are planning to adopt an aid package for Kiev during the upcoming alliance summit in Vilnius next month. The goal, he explained, is to help Ukraine bring its military up to NATO standards within a few years.
Last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS that Moscow “solidarity“Relationships with the West have reached a point where they cannot freeze the conflict in Ukraine.
He said the only option Moscow was considering at the moment was “Complete special military operations,“It means securing Russia’s interests and achieving its goals.
Peskov also expressed doubts about the possibility of peace talks between the two countries at this time.
“It is unlikely that we will talk about real negotiations with any representatives of the current Kiev authorities, because there [in Ukraine]now completely prohibits any negotiations with the Russian Federation,’ explained the Kremlin spokesman.
In May, German Chancellor Olaf Schulz said that any peace talks must not aim to freeze the conflict in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Politico reported, citing anonymous sources, that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is considering pausing the fighting rather than pushing for a Ukrainian victory. Officials in Washington reportedly envision a situation similar to what exists between North and South Korea.
