Stoltenberg: Ukraine could temporarily cede territories for peace

Ukraine could "temporarily cede" occupied territories to Russia to achieve a quick ceasefire, former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with Table.Briefings.

"If a ceasefire line means that Russia continues to control all occupied territories, it doesn't mean Ukraine has to abandon those territories permanently," Stoltenberg said.

He emphasized that security guarantees for Ukraine must accompany any temporary territorial concessions. These guarantees could include NATO membership or other forms of military support and assistance.

The former NATO chief expressed support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's demand not to give up any territories to Russia but acknowledged that this might be unlikely given the current military situation.

"We need a ceasefire line, and ideally, this line should include all the territories currently controlled by Russia. However, we see that this might not be realistic in the near future," Stoltenberg stated.