Ukraine: NATO boss describes local debate as inevitable

Before the meeting of US President Donald Trump and Kreml boss Vladimir Putin for the war in Ukraine, the focus is on the debate about possible area ability to deteriorate from Russia. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made it clear that discussions about the areas controlled by Russia could hardly be avoided in future negotiations.

“At the moment we have to note that Russia is controlling part of the Ukrainian territory,” Rutte told the US broadcaster ABC News. After a ceasefire, the question will arise as to how it will go on in territorial questions and with a view to possible security guarantees for Ukraine. At the same time, NATO boss emphasized that Ukraine was a sovereign state that determines his geopolitical future himself.

In territorial questions, it is important to distinguish between a “de facto” and a “de Jure” recognition, said Rutte. A possible agreement could, for example, state that Russia in fact controls certain areas without this control being legally accepted. As an example, he referred to the decades of attitude of the West to the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States.

On Friday, Trump and Putin in the US state of Alaska want to negotiate a possible peace solution in the Russian attack war, which has been lasting for around three and a half years. Trump represents the meeting in Alaska as an attempt to get closer to the end of the fights. In this context, he spoke of a possible exchange of territory between Ukraine and Russia.

Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj is not invited. This categorically rejects a waiver of the areas – and could not decide on it alone. A assignment would require a constitutional change and probably trigger serious domestic upheavals.

However, the US Nato ambassador does not rule out an invitation to Selenskyj for the meeting. “I think it is quite possible,” Matthew Whitaker told CNN. The decision is made by US President Trump. “If he believes that this is the best time to invite Selenskyj, then he will do that,” said Whitaker. So far, no final decision has been made, and there is still time.

With a view to a “area exchange” between Russia and Ukraine brought into play by Trump, Whitaker said that it was about finding an agreement. Unterships are currently advising which areas could be affected.

The Ukrainian ambassador in Germany, Oleksii Makeieev, warned that not only to focus on territorial questions, but on people. Meanwhile, the EU foreign ministers want to discuss their next steps at a video conference. “Europe’s core interests are at stake,” said EU foreign commissioner Kaja Kallas before the special meeting on Monday. She emphasized that every agreement between the United States and Russia must include Ukraine and the EU, “because it is about the security of Ukraine and all of Europe”. Russia’s aggression should not be rewarded – the areas temporarily occupied by Russian were part of Ukraine.

In his evening video approach, Selenskyj indirectly underlined that he will not accept a deal to exchange territory. “We will definitely defend our country and our independence,” he emphasized. And everything that affects Ukraine must be decided with the participation of Ukraine.

In the meeting on Friday, the Ukrainian President sees a new attempt to deceive Moscow. “We understand the intentions of the Russians to deceive America – we won’t allow that,” said Selenskyj. He appreciates Trump’s determination to end the war. Nevertheless, the only reason for the continued killing in Ukraine is Putin’s wish to wage war “and to manipulate everyone with whom he comes into contact”.

When asked about the debate as to whether Ukraine should give up parts of its state for a peace, the Ukrainian ambassador in Germany, Oleksii Makeev, in ZDF “Today Journal”: “We have to understand, it is not about areas, also about people.” Millions of Ukrainians lived under Russian occupation today. There are hundreds of thousands of children who are being reversed to Russian. Also which human rights violations happened in the occupied areas, “we can hardly imagine because we have little access”. That is why Ukraine and Europe could not afford to leave this Putin.

Many of the tired people in Ukraine also have relatives in the occupied areas. That is why it is not so easy to resign, said Makeieev.

Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance confirmed that the United States wanted to withdraw financially from the support of Ukraine. Trump and he believed that “the United States is through the financing of the Ukraine war business,” Vance told Fox News in an interview that was recorded a few days ago.

You want to find a peaceful solution and end killing. The Americans are tired of further spending their tax money on this specific conflict, said Vance. The interview was recorded with the Russian President Putin before the Trump meeting was officially announced, but only broadcast completely on Sunday.