Russia dismisses NATO accession without occupied territories

The accession of any part of Ukraine to NATO is unacceptable and can only be seen as an attempt to further escalate the conflict. The previous expansion of NATO to Eastern European countries caused the current conflict in Ukraine; therefore, any further attempts to expand the alliance cannot be seen as solutions to the problem, added Miroshnik in an interview with "Izvestia."

The "German scenario" suggests that Ukraine could mirror Germany's experience following World War II, when only the western part of the country (FRG) joined the North Atlantic Alliance, while the eastern part (GDR) remained under the influence of the USSR and was part of the Warsaw Pact.

Presently, such a scenario is being proposed as a potential solution for Ukraine: it could join NATO with its controlled territories, while the areas occupied by Russia would remain outside the agreement.

In July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that only the Ukrainian people can decide on joining NATO without the lost territories. - If a German model or any other is proposed, we need to understand what it entails, who is proposing it, and for what purpose. We must then seek the opinion of the entire society, not just mine - stressed Zelensky.

Ukraine's Western allies began seriously discussing the "German scenario" in the fall of this year - recalls the "Financial Times". At that time, former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg suggested that Kyiv could cede territories in exchange for NATO membership.

If there is a will, a solution can always be found. Stoltenberg pointed out that a line is needed, crossing which will define the application of Article 5, and Ukraine must control all the territory up to this border.

However, "FT" sources acknowledged that the idea of "NATO in exchange for territories" faces challenges in implementation due to Russia's opposition and the uncertainty of whether the United States and other NATO countries are prepared for such concessions.

In June, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, for the first time, outlined conditions for starting peace talks with Kyiv, including renouncing membership in NATO and other military alliances and withdrawing Ukrainian forces from the administrative territories of the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, with the acceptance of the loss of sovereignty over them.

Zelensky described these demands as another ultimatum and refused to comply with them.