US NATO envoy: Technical talks underway on possible land swaps between Russia-Ukraine

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said “technical people are talking” about possible land swaps as part of efforts to end the war in Ukraine, describing the discussions as a positive sign.

“Both sides are going to have to agree to end this war and we’ve seen it in the past in other contexts, to get a line that both sides can agree to certain strategic pieces that benefit either side, are exchanged in order to get to defend their territory successfully,” Whitaker told CNN ahead of an expected meeting in Alaska between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, sheduled for August 15, Caliber.Az reports. 

“The technical people are talking, which is good news because those are the ones that are going to say if land and what land would need to be swapped or exchanged. Certainly, I took Zelenskyy’s comments at face value, which is that no big chunks or sections are going to be just given that haven’t been fought for or earned at the battlefield,” he said.

Trump earlier suggested there could be a land swap, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected the idea of “gifting any land.”

Asked about the possibility of Zelenskyy attending the Alaska talks, Whitaker said the decision would depend on Trump.

“There can’t be a deal that everybody that is involved in it doesn’t agree to,” he said. “If we can get a deal done on terms that both sides agree that will save thousands of lives and ultimately I think that’s worthy at least seeing if there is a chance to get that done.”

On Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, Whitaker said the decision rests solely with the alliance’s 32 members.

“Whether or not a membership to NATO is on the table, the deciders of that is ultimately not Russia. The deciders of that are 32 members of NATO who have to agree unanimously to admit anyone to membership and you know there are a lot of steps along the way, before that could ever happen. Russia doesn’t have a vote on that. That I can tell,” he added.

By Sabina Mammadli