Zelensky Advocates for NATO Coverage as a Path to End Hostilities in Ukraine

Fri Dec 05 2025 08:24:26 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Ukrainian President calls for NATO membership as a potential solution to halt the ongoing war, but highlights significant hurdles in achieving this prospect.

In a recent interview, President Zelensky proposed that Ukraine's unoccupied territories should be placed under NATO protection to potentially end the conflict with Russia. He emphasized the need for full NATO membership covering all of Ukraine, expressing concerns over ceasefires that lack robust security guarantees. However, he acknowledged the theoretical nature of such proposals amidst persistent Russian aggression.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has put forth a bold idea aimed at mitigating the ongoing war in Ukraine, suggesting that unoccupied areas of the country could come "under NATO umbrella" as a strategy to bring the "hot phase" of conflict to a close. During a comprehensive interview with Sky News, Zelensky addressed the hypothetical scenario of accepting NATO membership exclusively for the territories currently under Ukraine's control, but stated this would only be viable if an offer were made for the entire country, maintaining its internationally recognized borders.

Zelensky reiterated his willingness to accept NATO's protective alliance, but emphasized that any membership invitation must encompass all of Ukraine, including regions under Russian dominion, to avoid implicitly recognizing lost territories as Russian. He articulated that such selective invitations would essentially mark a recognition of a divided Ukraine, which he firmly opposes. “You can’t give [an] invitation to just one part of a country,” he asserted, as reported by Sky News.

The president raised concerns about proposed ceasefires which, lacking assurance against future Russian advancements, could be dangerously misleading. He reinforced his belief that NATO membership holds the possibility of providing a solid security guarantee—one that Ukraine desperately needs. Zelensky has previously indicated his conviction that the war could imminently conclude if Western allies maintain their commitment and resolve.

Discussions surrounding a West German-style approach—offering NATO membership to a partitioned nation—have circulated among Western policymakers for over a year, but no formal proposals have emerged. As tensions persist, it’s critical to note that Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no sign of easing his aggressive stance towards Ukraine, with any anticipation that he might permit portions of Ukraine to join NATO remaining firmly in the realm of speculation.

Despite some discourse around potential ceasefires and peace approaches, the situation remains precarious, as both NATO's involvement and Putin's plans continue to shape the battlefield. As Ukraine endures ongoing assaults on its energy infrastructure and air defense systems, the quest for stability and security lingers amid an uncertain future.