Former NATO Secretary General considered withdrawing alliance troops from Baltic countries to appease Putin
Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, in his memoirs, revealed previously unknown details of negotiations with Russia. According to him, in 2021 he admitted the possibility of discussing with Moscow the question of a potential withdrawal of NATO troops from Eastern European countries, including the Baltic states, and the creation of a so-called buffer zone, writes LRT.
Jens Stoltenberg. Photo: Andreea Alexandru / AP
These discussions were conducted in a rather closed format and, as noted, without fully informing the most vulnerable allies in the region. During that period, Stoltenberg met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and discussed an idea proposed by the Russian side — the creation of a buffer zone.
However, such a possibility provoked strong resistance from Poland and the Baltic states, who were against any concessions to Russia.
Despite this, Stoltenberg considered a scenario of returning the security architecture to a level close to the late 1990s. In practical terms, this could have weakened NATO's military presence on the eastern flank.
According to Stoltenberg, the idea could have been partially discussed in connection with the position of the USA, which also considered the possibility of redeploying its troops. This created the impression of coordination among allies, but for the Baltic states, such discussions seemed very alarming.
As a result, Russia did not accept this approach because, according to Stoltenberg's assessment, Moscow sought not partial agreements, but broader control over the region.
The memoirs also emphasize that Stoltenberg's approach to relations with Russia was shaped by his family experience and the tradition of maintaining dialogue even during the Cold War. He continued contacts with Moscow even after 2014, despite the escalation of relations.
A separate part of the memoirs is devoted to relations with the USA and the role of Donald Trump. Stoltenberg notes that the threat of the USA withdrawing from NATO during his presidency was real and considered at a serious level. This could have led to a very rapid collapse of the alliance.
At the same time, according to the former NATO Secretary General's admission, it is paradoxical that precisely during this period, the US military presence in Europe increased, and NATO countries began to invest more in their defense.
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