Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that NATO membership could include the regions of Ukraine presently under Kyiv’s authority to cease the "active phase" of the conflict, contingent upon the alliance's prior acknowledgment of Ukraine's complete territory within its internationally recognized borders, as reported by Azernews through various sources.
In a conversation with Sky News, Zelensky underscored that NATO assurances are vital for enduring tranquility, rejecting ceasefire suggestions as inadequate without systems to avert additional Russian hostility. In his words, “You cannot extend an invitation to merely one segment of a nation. It would acknowledge the remaining portion as belonging to Russia."
While there have been claims of Western deliberations regarding a "West German model" of partitioned NATO membership, no formal propositions have been put forward by any parties. Concurrently, Zelensky conveyed his willingness to consider suggestions from U. S. President-elect Donald Trump, whose consultants have proposed plans for a ceasefire conditioned on peace negotiations and strengthened Ukrainian defenses to deter prospective Russian encroachments.
Zelensky remains resolute: “Without NATO, it’s not genuine independence for Ukraine because [Putin] will return." However, Moscow’s recent assaults on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and ongoing hostility imply that NATO participation is still a remote possibility. Ukrainians, enduring yet another severe winter, confront an uncertain journey toward peace.