President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed bringing the areas of Ukraine under Kyiv’s control “under the NATO umbrella” as a means of halting the ongoing “hot phase” of the war.
In an extensive interview with Sky News, Zelensky was asked whether he would accept NATO membership limited to the territories currently under Ukrainian control. While he expressed willingness, he emphasized that such an arrangement could only follow an initial offer of membership to the entirety of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
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Following this, Zelensky suggested Ukraine could pursue negotiations to reclaim territories under Russian occupation through diplomatic means. However, he acknowledged the concept remains purely hypothetical, as no such offer has been made.
“No one has officially proposed this idea to Ukraine,” Zelensky stated, emphasizing that any invitation to NATO must encompass the entire country, including regions currently under Russian control. Accepting membership for only part of Ukraine, he argued, would implicitly concede those occupied territories to Russia.
“You can’t extend an invitation to just one part of a country,” Zelensky said, per the Sky News translation. “That would imply recognizing that the rest belongs to Russia.”
He criticized suggestions of ceasefires without mechanisms to prevent further Russian aggression, dismissing them as perilous. NATO membership, he maintained, is the only reliable security guarantee.
Zelensky has previously expressed optimism that the war could conclude in the coming year, provided Ukraine’s allies demonstrate sufficient determination.
Reports indicate that Western policymakers have quietly discussed a potential “West Germany model,” where NATO membership might be extended to a divided nation. However, no formal proposals have emerged.
Complicating the matter is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s steadfast refusal to abandon his ambitions of dominating Ukraine entirely. The prospect of Moscow accepting any part of Ukraine joining NATO appears implausible, rendering the idea of NATO’s involvement a distant possibility for now.
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