Zelensky: We’ll trade land for NATO security to end Russia’s war

Nov 30, 2024 -  Ukraine’s president has suggested a shock move to fast-track peace: temporarily giving up Russian-occupied land if NATO guarantees safety for the rest of Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky made the bold proposal during an interview with Sky News, where he revealed his plan to put territory currently under Kyiv’s control under NATO’s protection – what he called the “NATO umbrella.”

“If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we must bring the Ukrainian territory under our control under NATO’s umbrella,” he said.

Once secured, Zelensky believes Ukraine could negotiate its way to reclaim the rest of its land through diplomacy. “This is what we need to do quickly, and then Ukraine can reclaim the rest of its territory through diplomatic means,” he added.

Not quite a NATO invite

But here’s the catch: NATO hasn’t offered Ukraine full membership. In fact, Zelensky admitted as much, saying: “No one has offered us NATO membership. It could be possible, but no one has offered it to us.”

His comments came in response to a direct question about whether Kyiv would ever cede land to Russia in exchange for NATO membership.

NATO membership would be a game-changer for Ukraine – but it’s also a red line for Moscow. Under NATO’s Article 5, any attack on Ukraine would drag the entire alliance into war with Russia. No wonder Vladimir Putin has ruled it out in any peace deal.