A senior Nato official has sparked a backlash in Ukraine after suggesting it could give up land to Russia in exchange for membership.
Speaking at an event in Norway on Tuesday, Stian Jenssen, chief of staff to the Nato secretary general, suggested that a possible peace deal could include Ukraine giving up seized territory.
In remarks reported by the Guardian, Mr Jenssen said: “I think that a solution could be for Ukraine to give up territory, and get Nato membership in return.”
However, he stressed that any peace deal would have to be acceptable to Ukraine and that it was simply a proposed option being discussed in diplomatic circles.
Kyiv has insisted that there cannot be peace without Russia withdrawing from its territory and a return to its pre-2014 borders, which would also include the annexed territory of Crimea.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said on Twitter: “Trading territory for a Nato umbrella? It is ridiculous.
“That means deliberately choosing the defeat of democracy, encouraging a global criminal, preserving the Russian regime, destroying international law and passing the war on to other generations.”
The defence alliance attempted to draw a line under the suggestion on Tuesday night, saying that its position had not changed.
“We will continue to support Ukraine as long as necessary, and we are committed to achieving a just and lasting peace. The position of the alliance is clear and has not changed,” a spokesperson said.
Mr Jenssen is a close aide to Nato’s top official, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
He added to Norwegian newspaper VG: “I’m not saying it has to be like this. But that could be a possible solution.”
On Wednesday, Ukrainian officials claimed another milestone in Kyiv’s grinding counteroffensive, with Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar saying troops have retaken a village in the eastern Donetsk region.
The village of Urozhaine is near Staromaiorske, a hamlet that Ukraine also claimed to have recaptured recently.
Ukraine appears to be trying to drive a wedge between Russian forces in the south, but it is up against strong defensive lines and is advancing without air support.
