KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed that granting NATO membership to territories currently under Ukraine’s control could help bring an end to the active fighting in the war with Russia.
Speaking in an interview with Sky News on Friday, Zelenskyy emphasized that any invitation to join the alliance must apply to all parts of Ukraine as recognized under its internationally defined borders.
“You can’t give an invitation to just one part of a country,” Zelenskyy said. “Legally, by law, we have no right to recognize the occupied territory as territory of Russia.”
Zelenskyy’s remarks come as Ukraine navigates a complex journey toward NATO membership.
At a July summit in Washington, the alliance declared Ukraine on an “irreversible” path to membership but did not provide a timeline, citing the need for clearly demarcated borders.
Zelenskyy argued that offering NATO protection to Ukrainian-controlled territory would strengthen Ukraine’s hand in future negotiations with Moscow, allowing the country to reclaim occupied regions diplomatically.
The war continues to rage along Ukraine’s 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) frontline.
The Institute for the Study of War reported recent Russian advances near Kupiansk, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk, while Ukraine's air force intercepted eight of ten Russian drones targeting key regions, including Kyiv and Kherson.
On the Russian side, officials claimed to have downed 11 Ukrainian drones overnight in areas including Sochi and Dagestan, with no casualties reported.
In response to battlefield challenges, Zelenskyy announced changes to military leadership. General Mykhailo Drapatyi was appointed head of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, and Oleh Apostol was named Deputy Commander-in-Chief to oversee military training improvements.
Additional reserves, ammunition, and equipment have been deployed to bolster Ukrainian units in Donetsk and other contested areas.
Zelenskyy’s proposal aligns with his broader “victory plan,” which he unveiled in October as a blueprint for strengthening Ukraine’s position against Russia.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently called for increased support for Ukraine, with military aid and war resolution strategies set to dominate discussions at the upcoming NATO foreign ministers’ meeting on December 3 in Brussels.
However, NATO membership for Ukraine remains a contentious issue. The decision would require unanimous approval from all member states and could face additional complexity with Donald Trump’s return to U.S. leadership.
Trump’s ambiguous stance on Ukraine during his campaign, coupled with his appointment of retired General Keith Kellogg as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, has raised concerns in Kyiv about potential shifts in U.S. support. — Agencies
