Only Ukraine can decide when to start negotiations with Russia about ending the war. At the same time, NATO allies should continue to provide Ukraine with military assistance so that it can conduct negotiations from a position of strength.
Points of attention
- Ukraine has the authority to determine the timing of negotiations with Russia and is advised to do so from a position of strength.
- NATO emphasizes the importance of providing military assistance to Ukraine to bolster its negotiation position with Russia.
- Mark Rutte highlights Ukraine's irreversible path to NATO membership and contributes to its future within the alliance.
- International support is crucial for Ukraine's negotiations with Russia, emphasizing a diplomatic approach to reclaiming occupied territories.
- President Zelenskyi of Ukraine emphasizes the possibility of diplomatic efforts to reclaim occupied territories from Russia, alongside military operations.
Rutte announced NATO's position regarding the negotiations between the Russia and Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte spoke about this during a joint press conference with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevičs.
Only the government of Ukraine can decide whether to start negotiations with Russia and how to end this war. But they (Ukrainians — ed.) should do it from a position of strength. That is why we need to continue to deliver defense assistance to Ukraine to allow them to be in a position of strength when they make that decision.
Mark Rutte
Secretary General of NATO
He also emphasized once again that Ukraine's path to NATO membership is irreversible.
This is an irreversible path to NATO membership for Ukraine. We are building a "bridge" (for Ukraine in NATO — ed.), with the allocation of 40 billion euros, with the creation of the Command in Wiesbaden, with all the security agreements that the allies concluded with Ukraine at the bilateral level. This is all a contribution to the future of Ukraine in NATO.
How Ukraine plans to negotiate with Russia
According to the conviction of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in an interview with French journalists, Ukraine can return the territories occupied by Russia through diplomatic efforts, and not only through military operations.
I believe that not all territories should be conquered with hands and not all territories should be conquered with weapons. I believe that it can take a lot of time and a lot of people, which is not very good. That is why it is possible to win back one's territories diplomatically, — the head of state notes.
He emphasized that the "Peace Formula" was developed in order to implement this plan.
