In a December 2 interview with Table.Briefings, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg suggested that Ukraine might consider temporary territorial concessions to achieve a ceasefire with Russia.
However, he stressed that these concessions would not mean giving up the territory forever.
“If the ceasefire line means that Russia keeps control of all occupied territories, this doesn’t mean Ukraine has to give up the territory forever,” Stoltenberg said. He added that any agreement should come with strong security guarantees for Ukraine, such as NATO membership or other forms of military support.
Stoltenberg also backed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s rejection of permanent territorial concessions to Russia.
However, he acknowledged that reclaiming all occupied areas may not be realistic in the short term due to the current situation on the battlefield.
“We need a ceasefire line, and ideally this line would include all the territories Russia controls now. But that may not be possible in the near future,” he explained.
Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of ensuring Ukraine’s security in exchange for any temporary territorial arrangements. While NATO membership could be a solution, he said there are other ways to provide Ukraine with the weapons and support it needs.
On the same day, President Zelenskyy pointed out that if Ukraine joined NATO during the ongoing war, NATO’s collective defense (Article 5) might not apply to all Ukrainian territory.
