Following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s calls for potential compromises in the war with Russia, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has proposed a similar “peace deal.”
In remarks reported by Bloomberg, Baerbock suggested that Ukraine’s potential NATO membership could be included as part of a broader peace agreement with Russia, which might also involve territorial concessions by Ukraine.
Baerbock emphasized that the key elements of such a peace deal would include political and material security guarantees, NATO membership for Ukraine, an international presence to monitor the ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops, territorial issues, reconstruction, and the settlement of sanctions. However, she stressed that Ukraine itself must decide what it is willing to negotiate in peace talks.
The elements of a peace agreement are numerous and varied: political and material security guarantees, NATO membership, international presence to preserve the ceasefire, the withdrawal of troops, territorial issues, reconstruction, and the resolution of sanctions. Ukraine itself decides what goals it will pursue at the negotiating table, she said.
This proposal follows discussions and shifting perspectives on how to approach peace in the region, with Western leaders recognizing the need for strategic compromises to bring about an end to the war. However, it has sparked concerns, as such territorial concessions would be a significant shift in Ukraine’s long-standing position on its sovereignty.
On the same day, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, during his visit to Kyiv, opposed the idea of Ukraine joining NATO quickly, stressing that NATO’s expansion would have to be carefully considered and not rushed, due to the sensitive situation with Russia.
