NATO Secretary General Jason Stoltenberg has indicated that Ukraine may be asked to compromise and make concessions in its war with Russia. In an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Stoltenberg said he is confident the international military alliance would come to a funding agreement for Ukraine by this summer. He also warned that Russia is increasingly aligning itself with Iran, China, and North Korea.
The NATO chief furthermore called on the US to send a clear message to Israel that it must take more care to protect civilian life in Gaza. Speaking as NATO marks its 75th anniversary, Mr. Stoltenberg stated that the world is more volatile and dangerous than it has been for decades, with China propping up a dangerous Russia and a totalitarian alliance developing that is hostile to the West. With Russia providing technology to Iran and North Korea, Western nations must work with Japan and South Korea to “stand up against authoritarian powers,” he added.
Speaking of the Russia – Ukraine war, Stoltenberg suggested Ukraine must decide “what kind of compromises” it is willing to make that would allow both parties to come to a peaceful conclusion and bring hostilities to an end. Nevertheless, he still made clear that Ukraine must be victorious. Analysts say his comments will likely concern Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has insisted he will not compromise with Russia.
When asked about the political situation in the United States, Stoltenberg would not be drawn on the possibility of a second Donald Trump White House. He insisted the US will remain a key NATO ally regardless of who wins in November. In February, however, he condemned Mr. Trump, particularly his comments about members not paying enough into the NATO pot.
The former US President provoked outrage when he said he would not defend NATO allies if they did not pay enough. Stoltenberg said his remarks “put American and European soldiers at increased risk.”
