Ukraine war's end in reach this year – Ex-NATO chief

Ending the war in Ukraine this year is possible according to former NATO Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg, but Andrii Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, has cautioned that this will only happen on terms acceptable to the Ukrainian people.

The pair spoke during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, for a special edition of Euronews’ Europe Conversation.

With Ukraine entering the fourth year since the full-scale invasion by Russia, attention is turning to the possibility that the war could come to an end in 2025.

Ukraine’s victory plan was presented by Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2024 as the key framework to achieve a just and lasting peace.

Partners and allies have “to make the position of Ukraine strong for any potential future negotiations”, Andrii Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, told Euronews at the World economic forum in Davos.

‘Russia is paying a very high price’

“Wars are by nature unpredictable. So I’m very careful to predict exactly what will happen in 2025. Having said that, it’s absolutely within reach to end this war this year, not least because Russia is paying a very high price,” former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told Euronews.

While Putin thought he could take Kiev within days, Ukraine has pushed back. Meanwhile casualties are staggering, inflation is now officially around 10% in Russia, the national bank’s interest rate is 21%, and there is an urgent lack of workforce, putting Putin under pressure, according to Stoltenberg.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s return to the White House might lead to an American isolationist retreat, forcing Europeans to step up their support for Kiev.

Andrii Yermak called for “close cooperation and close unity” between Europe and the US and hoped a meeting between Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump will take place “as soon as possible”.

Just peace

“The challenge is that the quickest way of ending a war is to lose the war. But that will not bring peace. That will bring occupation of Ukraine. So the challenge is to end the war in the way that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign, independent nation in Europe,” Jens Stoltenberg added.

President Zelenskyy would never compromise “the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine”, Andrii Yermak said.

One way to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine is to give solid security guarantees, the strongest of all being Article 5, meaning NATO membership, in Stoltenberg’s views. The second best option would be “to arm Ukrainians to the teeth”