NATO Secretary General Opposes Premature Peace Talks on Ukraine War

Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), warned on the 18th (local time) that hasty peace negotiations should not be pursued regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.

Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

In an interview with Germany's Welt am Sonntag ahead of his visit to Germany on the 19th-20th, Secretary General Stoltenberg said, "We all want this war to end," adding, "However, for peace to last, it must be just."

He stated, "Only Ukraine can define the conditions it can accept," and "The more territory Ukraine recovers, the better cards it holds."

Earlier, an African peace delegation composed of leaders from seven African countries, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 17th to urge an end to the war. However, President Putin expressed the position that Ukraine refuses to engage in dialogue.

Secretary General Stoltenberg said, "Ukraine's future lies with NATO. But the priority is for Ukraine to assert itself as a sovereign and independent nation," adding, "Otherwise, there will be no opportunity to discuss NATO membership."

He emphasized, "When this war ends, a reliable agreement must be reached to ensure Ukraine's security," and "Russia's rearmament must be prevented to break the cycle of Russian attacks."

Furthermore, Secretary General Stoltenberg said, "At the NATO summit to be held in Lithuania next month, a support package will be approved to bring Ukraine up to NATO's average level over several years," adding, "This will bring Ukraine closer to NATO."

He is scheduled to visit Germany on the 19th-20th to hold talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and to inspect the site of 'Air Defender 23,' NATO's largest air defense exercise in history.