"We all want this war to end. But for peace to be sustainable, it must be just. Peace cannot mean freezing the conflict and accepting a deal dictated by Russia," the Secretary General said in an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
Jens Stoltenberg said that "only Ukraine alone can define the acceptable conditions" for a peace agreement with Russia.
The NATO chief noted that military successes would strengthen Ukraine's negotiating position: "The more occupied territories Ukraine is able to liberate, the better cards it will have at the negotiating table to achieve a just and lasting peace."
Speaking about Kyiv's NATO bid, Stoltenberg said: "The future of Ukraine lies in NATO," however, Ukraine's current priority should be to strengthen itself as a sovereign and independent state because "otherwise, there is no possibility of discussing membership."
According to the NATO Secretary General, the peace agreement should be concluded in such a shape "so that Russia cannot rearm and attack again, and the cycle of Russian aggression is broken."
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Sunday is day 480 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(ał)
Source: PAP, pravda.com.ua