Zelenskyy says NATO guarantees can end 'hot stage' of war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said an offer of NATO membership to the territory under Kyiv's control would end the "hot stage of the war" in Ukraine, but any proposal to join the military alliance should be extended to all parts of the country that fall within internationally recognized borders.

About one-fifth of Ukraine's territory is currently under Russian control.

In an interview with Britain's Sky News aired on Friday, Zelenskyy implied that he would be willing to wait to regain that territory if a deal with NATO could ensure the security of the rest of Ukraine and end fighting across the country since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

"If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take under NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelenskyy said.

"That's what we need to do fast, and then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically," he added.

Zelenskyy, however, insisted any offer to join NATO must be given to the whole of Ukraine: "The invitation must be given to Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. You can't give an invitation to just one part of a country."

NATO's reluctance to invite Ukraine in

An invitation for Ukraine to join NATO is a key part of Zelenskyy's so-called "victory plan," which he presented to Western allies in October. The plan is seen as a way for Ukraine to strengthen its hand in any negotiations with Moscow.

However, the United States and Germany, which are Ukraine's main supporters and key NATO nations, are blocking a fast track for Ukraine into the Western defense alliance.

Earlier this week, NATO's new Secretary General, Mark Rutte, said the alliance "needs to go further" to help Ukraine as it fights Russia.

Military aid to Ukraine and steps toward an end to the war are expected to be high on the agenda when NATO members' foreign ministers meet in Brussels for a two-day gathering starting on Tuesday.

The Trump factor on the war in Ukraine

Zelenskyy's comments also come ahead of the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in January.

Trump, who is seen as an admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, vowed on the campaign trail to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine in a single day, but he has not publicly discussed how to do so.

He also announced Wednesday that Keith Kellogg, an 80-year-old, highly decorated retired three-star general, will serve as his special envoy to Ukraine and Russia.

In April, Kellogg wrote that "ending the Russia-Ukraine war will require strong, America First leadership to reach a peace agreement and immediately cease hostilities between the two warring parties."

dh/sms (AP, dpa, Reuters)