Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested an openness to halting the war’s “hot phase” through NATO membership for Ukraine, even if temporarily excluding Russian-occupied territories.
The comments come amid growing speculation about how US President-elect Donald Trump might push to end the war. Trump has repeatedly claimed he could broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia within 24 hours, though he has not publicly detailed his plan.
In a 29 November interview with Sky News, Zelenskyy addressed reports about potential peace plans involving Ukraine’s NATO membership in exchange for recognizing Russian control over occupied territories. This marked his first interview with British media since Trump’s election victory.
“If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to place the part of Ukraine we control under NATO’s umbrella,” Zelenskyy said, suggesting that occupied territories could later be recovered through diplomatic channels.
The Ukrainian leader stressed that a ceasefire would be crucial to “ensure Putin doesn’t return” to seize additional territory. Importantly, Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine has never actually received such a proposal from any official channels.
“We will not and cannot legally recognize Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation as Russian. This would violate Ukraine’s Constitution,” he said.
Sky News noted the significance of these comments, as they represent the first time Zelenskyy has discussed a ceasefire arrangement that might temporarily accept Russian control over certain Ukrainian territories. This marks a notable shift from his previous stance, as throughout the war, he has consistently refused to cede any Ukrainian territory to Moscow, including Crimea, which was annexed in 2014.
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