Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has suggested that temporary territorial concessions to Russia could help establish a cease-fire in the ongoing Ukrainian conflict.
In an interview with German media outlet Table.Briefings published on Monday, Stoltenberg emphasized that diplomatic negotiations and compromise could pave the way toward a cease-fire agreement.
"We need a cease-fire line, and of course ideally this (the Ukrainian part) should include all areas currently under Russian control. But we see that this may not be realistically achievable in the immediate future," Stoltenberg said.
"If the cease-fire line means that Russia continues to control all occupied territories, this does not mean that Ukraine has to give up the territory forever," the experienced politician added.
Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of providing Kyiv with security guarantees in exchange for any territorial considerations as part of a cease-fire agreement. While NATO membership remains an option, he said "there are also other ways to arm and support the Ukrainians."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that a cease-fire deal could be reached if the Ukrainian territory under Kyiv's control was put "under the NATO umbrella," in a bid to stop the "hot stage of the war."
International efforts have intensified in recent weeks to achieve a cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia and initiate diplomatic talks to resolve the conflict. Donald Trump's election victory has led to expectations that the next US administration will favor diplomatic solutions over military aid, though questions remain about the nature of potential compromises in future negotiations.
