Brussels - Stian Jenssen, the chief of staff to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, has ignited controversy by suggesting that Ukraine might contemplate yielding a portion of its territory to Russia as a condition for NATO membership. Jenssen made this statement during a debate in Arendal, Norway on August 15, indicating that it is one of the potential solutions being considered. He emphasized that the ultimate decision regarding negotiations and terms should be left to Ukraine.
Jenssen underscored that conversations concerning Ukraine's post-conflict status are already in progress, and some nations are introducing the idea of Kyiv relinquishing territory to Russia as part of the process.
Following a backlash from Kyiv, Jenssen later clarified his comments in an interview with the Norwegian newspaper VG on August 16, admitting, "My statement about this was part of a broader discussion about possible future scenarios in Ukraine, and I should not have phrased it that way. It was a mistake."
Despite this, the majority of polls indicate that most Ukrainians strongly oppose any territorial concessions to Russia. Simultaneously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's official 10-point peace plan begins with the demand that Russia fully withdraw from all Ukrainian territory and return to the borders established in 1991. Should Zelenskiy entertain a deal involving territorial concessions, analysts anticipate widespread protests in Ukraine against such an arrangement.
On the Kremlin's side, they assert that they have no interest in annexing Ukraine, but they insist on retaining regions of the country that are "included in the Russian constitution." In September of the previous year, Russia incorporated four Ukrainian regions into its territory through a series of referenda that drew international condemnation.
Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak swiftly rejected the idea of surrendering territory for NATO membership in a series of tweets. He dubbed the notion "absurd," claiming that such an approach would mean sacrificing democracy, strengthening a global criminal entity, perpetuating the Russian regime, undermining international law, and burdening future generations with the weight of war. Podolyak emphasized that anything short of a "crushing defeat" for Putin would only fuel Russia's appetite for further aggression.
During the recent NATO summit in Vilnius in July, the G7 publicly reaffirmed their commitment to providing long-term security support to Ukraine, without delving into specifics of any potential security arrangement. Zelenskiy, in a televised address on July 12, announced that Ukraine had established a foundation towards NATO membership, backed by tangible security assurances from the world's leading democracies.
However, Ukraine's negotiating position has not been bolstered by its widely touted counter-offensive, which has encountered obstacles and failed to yield significant breakthroughs. The Russian forces spent eight months constructing extensive defenses along the front line, including vast minefields, resulting in a challenging environment for any significant advances.