Stoltenberg on peace talks with Russia: We cannot have Minsk 3
Photo: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
To achieve a peace resolution in Ukraine, NATO members must provide military support to Ukraine, states NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Specifically, Stoltenberg was asked whether NATO leaders are resolute enough to withstand pressure on Ukraine regarding negotiations on territorial concessions and demands to abandon NATO membership as a precondition for a ceasefire.
"NATO leaders are decisive and strong and that will be strongly expressed at the NATO Summit where I expect a strong package for Ukraine. With the new NATO train and assistance for Ukraine, with a NATO command for Ukraine, with a financial pledge, with additional announcements of more military support, with the bilateral security agreements..." Stoltenberg stated.
The NATO Secretary General emphasized that it is up to Kyiv to decide what conditions are acceptable for peaceful negotiations and any decision reached through negotiations because Ukraine is a sovereign independent state.
"What we shall do as NATO Allies is to help Ukraine to strengthen their hand, because we know that there is a very strong link between what happens around the negotiating table and the situation on the battlefield," Stoltenberg pointed out.
He also noted that there are currently no indications that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready for peaceful negotiations that would involve his latest proposal requiring Ukraine to relinquish all territories in four regions he illegally annexed, notably including occupied Crimea.
"Some months later, (Russians-ed.) went into eastern Donbas, agreed a ceasefire — the Minsk 1 — violated that, moved ... even further west, agreed Minsk 2, waited for seven years, and then launched a full-scale attack, and took even more. We cannot have Minsk 3," Stoltenberg concluded.
Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine
It should be noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that currently, only one model of negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin is possible. This would involve mediators who facilitated the creation of the grain corridor.
