The former NATO secretary general and the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine outlined to Euronews ways to reach a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Ending Russia’s all-out war in Ukraine this year is possible, according to former NATO Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg. However, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andrii Yermak, cautioned that this would only happen on terms acceptable to the Ukrainian people.
The pair spoke during the World Economic Forum in Davos for a special edition of Euronews’ Europe Conversation.
With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost entering its fourth year, attention is turning to the possibility that the war could come to an end in 2025.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented Kyiv’s victory plan last year as the key framework for achieving a just and lasting peace.
Andrii Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, told Euronews in Davos that partners and allies must “make the position of Ukraine strong for any potential future negotiations.”
‘Russia is paying a very high price’
“Wars are by nature unpredictable. So I’m very careful to predict exactly what will happen in 2025,” Stoltenberg told Euronews.
“Having said that, it’s absolutely within reach to end this war this year, not least because Russia is paying a very high price,” he added.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin thought he could take Kiyv within days, Ukraine has pushed back. Meanwhile, casualties are staggering, inflation is now officially around 10% in Russia, the national bank’s interest rate is 21%, and there is an urgent lack of workforce, according to Stoltenberg, putting Putin under pressure.
US President Donald Trump’s return to the White House might lead to an American isolationist retreat, forcing Europeans to step up their support for Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Yermak called for “close cooperation and close unity” between Europe and the US and hoped a meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump would take place “as soon as possible”.
“The challenge is that the quickest way of ending a war is to lose the war. But that will not bring peace. That will bring occupation of Ukraine. So the challenge is to end the war in the way that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign, independent nation in Europe,” Stoltenberg added.
Zelenskyy would never compromise “the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine”, Yermak said.
One way to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine is to give solid security guarantees, the strongest of all being Article 5, meaning NATO membership, in Stoltenberg’s views. The second best option would be “to arm Ukrainians to the teeth”.
