Kyiv prepared to end war’s ‘hot phase’ in return for ‘NATO umbrella’ over Ukrainian-controlled territories, Zelensky says

President Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that Ukraine could be open to a ceasefire deal if territory currently under Kyiv’s control were placed under NATO protection.

In an interview with Sky News, Zelensky said that to end the “hot phase of the war,” Ukraine would require a NATO invitation that offers membership to unoccupied regions while also recognizing the country’s internationally recognized borders.

“If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control,” he said, adding that Ukraine could later reclaim its occupied territories through diplomatic negotiations. At the same time, Zelensky added that “Ukraine has never considered [such a] proposal, because no one has offered that to us officially.”

Zelensky’s comments mark a notable shift, as he seemed to acknowledge that occupied eastern regions might temporarily fall outside of a potential ceasefire agreement with Russia. His comments come amid continued Russian advances in Donbas, with roughly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory currently under occupation.