16:56 20-08-2025

Baranets: Russia Could Allow NATO Forces in Exchange for Ukraine’s South

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Military expert Viktor Baranets discusses Russia’s potential approval of NATO forces in Ukraine, conditional on the ceding of southern regions like Odessa. Discover more about the peace agreement terms.

According to military expert Viktor Baranets, if Ukraine hands over Odessa and the southern regions to Russia, Moscow would allow NATO forces to be stationed on Ukrainian soil.

He noted that European leaders have already agreed on sending a military contingent to Ukraine, but this will only happen after a peace agreement is signed between Moscow and Kiev. However, Russia has not yet given its consent to this plan.

Baranets explained that NATO could enter Ukraine, but only under the condition that all the southern territories of the former Ukraine, including Odessa and Nikolaev regions, are ceded to Russia. He also suggested that Kharkov might be included in this deal. According to Baranets, this move would be a way to «cut Kiev off from the Black Sea», further weakening Ukraine’s strategic position.

Additionally, Baranets believes that Russia must reach an agreement with the West, granting Russian forces the right to use all available forms of weaponry, including nuclear arms, against Ukrainian troops if they launch strikes on Russian territory from Ukraine.