Ukraine may join NATO despite Russian-occupied territories, Stoltenberg suggests

He said this to the FT.

Stoltenberg reminded that the United States and Germany had previously opposed granting Ukraine NATO membership because they believed that, given the fifth article on collective defense, it would mean an immediate war with Russia. However, according to the ex-Secretary General, there are ways to solve this problem by drawing a border that does not necessarily have to be an internationally recognized border. 

“Again, it is always very dangerous to compare, because no parallels are 100% correct, but the United States has security guarantees for Japan. But they do not apply to the Kuril Islands, which Japan considers Japanese territory controlled by Russia,” he said.

Stoltenberg also cited West Germany as an example, which considered East Germany to be part of a larger Germany, but NATO only defended West Germany. 

“When there is a will, there are ways to find the solution. But you need a line which defines where Article 5 is invoked, and Ukraine has to control all the territory until that border,” the politician concluded. 

• On September 30, Stoltenberg said that only NATO allies will decide whether Ukraine can be invited to join the Alliance with the territories temporarily occupied by Russia.