NATO 'umbrella' over Ukraine's controlled areas can stop hot phase of war - Zelenskyy
Photo: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (president.gov.ua)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Ukraine's accession to NATO can help stop the hot phase of the war started by Russia. And the occupied territories can be returned diplomatically, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with Sky News.
"You can't give an invitation to just one part of the country, because thus you would recognize that Ukraine is only that territory of Ukraine, and another one is Russia. Legally, by law, we have no right to recognize the occupied territory as the territory of Russia, and here we must not make any mistake," the President said.
According to him, the invitation to NATO should include Ukraine'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. We need to do it fast. And then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically." he said.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine had never considered such a proposal because no one had officially offered it.
Ukraine's accession to NATO
Ukraine expected to receive an official invitation to join NATO at the July summit in Washington, but this did not happen.
Kyiv insists on setting a clear timetable for accession, but there are still no concrete decisions. The Alliance assures that the “door to NATO” remains open, but membership is not possible until the war is over.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers the invitation to NATO to be key to Ukraine's victory and seeks to achieve this before Donald Trump's possible return to the US presidency, fearing changes in American politics.
Also today, the media reported that Ukraine has called on NATO to issue an invitation to join the Alliance at a meeting to be held on December 3-4 in Brussels.
