NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in an interview with ABC News stated that in the draft agreement likely to be discussed in Alaska on August 15 by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, there should be no legal recognition of the Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia. However, he acknowledged that Russia is unlikely to agree to give up the territories it effectively controls.
«The question will be how to proceed after the ceasefire, including what it will mean in terms of security guarantees for Ukraine. When it comes to the territorial issue, when it comes to recognition, for example, in a future deal, that Russia de facto controls part of Ukraine's territory, it should be factual recognition — not de jure political recognition», Rutte said. He also noted that Ukraine «determines its own future», and should not have limitations on the size of its armed forces. Just as NATO should not have limitations on its presence on the eastern flank.
In recent days, Trump proposed «some territorial exchange» as part of a potential peace agreement. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refused to cede any Ukrainian territories, particularly eastern Donbas, to achieve a ceasefire. Several European countries stated that peace talks should not take place without Ukraine's presence.
Former Trump national security advisor John Bolton spoke more harshly on ABC's program.
«I think Trump has already made several mistakes: first, he scheduled this meeting on American soil, legitimizing the leader of a rogue state. Second, he allowed Putin to gain an advantage by being the first to put his peace plan on the table», Bolton said.