A bombshell statement was allegedly made by a NATO official about the future of Ukraine. Ukraine can join NATO if agree to cede territories it refuses to recognize as part of Russia, is reported to have stated on Tuesday Stian Jensendirector of the office of the Secretary General of the Alliance Jens Stoltenberg.

“I think the solution might be for Ukraine to give up territory and receive NATO membership in return. At the same time, Ukraine must decide for itself when and under what conditions it wants to negotiate,” he was quoted as saying by Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang, cited by Russia’s TASS news agency.

When asked if he believed Ukraine should cede territory to achieve peace with Russia and join NATO in the future, Jensen reportedly said that “the post-war regime of Ukraine is already under negotiation” and the issue of ceding territories to Russia has already been raised. “I’m not saying this should happen. But this could be a possible solution,” he clarified.

Moscow: “Recognize territorial realities”

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told TASS earlier that resolving the conflict requires confirmation of “fundamental elements of Ukrainian sovereignty” – its neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status. In addition to this, in the words of Galuzin, it is necessary to “recognize the new territorial realities, ensure the demilitarization and de-Nazification of Ukraine, the rights of Russian-speaking citizens and its national minorities in accordance with international law.”

The statement allegedly made by Stoltenberg’s “right-hand man” Stian Jensen has no momentarily denied by the North Atlantic Alliance