NATO official apologizes for saying Ukraine should give up territories

NATO Secretary General's Chief of Staff Stefan Jenssen apologizes for his suggestion that Ukraine could gain membership in the Alliance in exchange for giving up the territories occupied by Russia.

Source: Jensen's comment to the Norwegian portal VG.

Details: Jenssen said that his statement was "part of a broader discussion about possible future scenarios in Ukraine, and I should not have spoken about it in such a way." "It was a mistake," the NATO official added.

He noted that yesterday's statement about "membership in exchange for territories" needs to be clarified after it caused a media stir.

He said: "If - and I emphasize if - you get to the point where you can negotiate, the military situation on the battlefield, who controls what will absolutely play a central role and will definitely have a decisive influence on what the possible outcome of this war will look like."

That's why, the official added, "it's critical that we support Ukraine with what it needs."

In addition, Stoltenberg's chief of staff also mentioned the need to provide Kyiv with "security guarantees" to prevent a repeat of the events of 2014 and 2022 - Russian aggression.

Author - Olena Madiak, 16/08/2023