On Thursday, August 17, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commented that Kyiv alone should decide when the conditions are right to start any peace talks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reports the agency “Reuters”.
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“It is Ukrainians, and only Ukrainians, who can decide when the conditions will be set to start negotiations. Only Ukrainians can decide at the negotiating table what is an acceptable solution,” Stoltenberg claimed. At a press conference in the Norwegian city of Arendal, he emphasized that NATO’s role in the war is to support Ukraine.
Stollenberg’s statement follows statements by Stian Jensen, director of the Secretary-General’s private office. He commented on Tuesday, August 15, that Ukraine might have to give up part of its territory to Russia in order to negotiate an end to the war. Jensen, however, announced shortly afterwards that he regretted what he had said.
“Jensen’s message, which is my main message and also to NATO, is, first of all, that the policy of the alliance is unchanged – we support Ukraine,” said the Secretary General.
At a summit held in Vilnius in July, NATO stressed that it would invite Ukraine to join the military alliance when all member states support the membership and Kyiv fulfills the set conditions. In the statement, Ukraine’s allies also emphasized that the country has the right to choose its own path independently of Russia.
2023-08-18 12:23:35
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