Negotiators must guarantee sovereignty and robust deterrence against the aggressor
Any peace agreements with Russia require the preservation of strong Ukrainian armed forces and reliable security guarantees. This was stated by Admiral Rob Bauer, former Chair of the NATO Military Committee, during an event in Brussels. This was reported by Ukrinform, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
According to the military official, the state must remain fully sovereign and independently determine its course and security alliances. Any demands from Moscow regarding the reduction of army personnel are completely unacceptable to Kyiv.
Requirements for a peaceful settlement
In addition to a combat-ready military, effective deterrence mechanisms are needed to prevent the resumption of hostilities. In the opinion of the former committee head, standard security declarations have proven insufficient given the lessons of the past.
He recalled the historical experience of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum and noted that only an approach close to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty could be effective. The absence of such safeguards makes the acceptance of any peace initiatives highly unlikely.
Territorial issue and European security
Discussing potential compromises, the Dutch admiral allowed for the possibility of certain decisions regarding lands, but strictly without legal recognition of occupation. This concerns solely the pragmatic acceptance of factual control for the sake of ending bloodshed.
Separately, he emphasized that stability across the entire European space is inextricably linked to the integration of Ukraine’s defense architecture into the pan-European system. Without a strong Ukraine, the continent’s overall security will remain incomplete.
Photo: Ukrinform
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