Zelensky Calls for NATO Protections Amid Escalating Conflict with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged NATO to extend guaranteed protections to the territories of Ukraine currently under Kyiv's control in a bid to quell the intensifying conflict with Russia. In an interview with Sky News, Zelensky suggested that he would be open to delaying the reclamation of the nearly one-fifth of Ukraine seized by Russian forces if such an arrangement could ensure security for the rest of the nation and bring an end to the fighting.
The plea for NATO's support comes as tensions in the ongoing war, now stretching into its third year, have escalated sharply. Russia recently issued threats to attack government buildings in Kyiv and launched a significant aerial assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which it described as retaliation for Ukraine's use of US and British-supplied missiles targeting Russian territory.
Zelensky emphasized the urgency of establishing NATO's protection over the territories under Ukrainian control, stating, "If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control. That's what we need to do fast, and then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically."
The discourse surrounding a potential ceasefire or peace agreement has amplified recently, particularly in the wake of Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election. Trump, who has criticized the level of US aid to Ukraine, claimed he could resolve the conflict swiftly without providing specifics on how he would achieve that.
Currently, Russia holds around 18% of Ukraine's internationally recognized land, including Crimea, which was annexed in 2014. Following its invasion in 2022, Moscow has claimed additional regions in eastern and southern Ukraine—Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, and Zaporizhzhia—despite lacking complete control of these areas. Kyiv has firmly rejected any proposals to cede territory in exchange for peace, while President Putin has called for Ukraine's military to withdraw from even more lands.
Zelensky affirmed that any NATO membership offer should encompass all of Ukraine, but hinted at the possibility of accepting NATO's protections—specifically the Article Five collective defense clause—being extended only to the areas under Kyiv's control. He pointed out the necessity of such assurances to prevent future Russian aggression, saying, "If we speak of a ceasefire, we need guarantees that Putin will not come back."
In response to the evolving situation, Zelensky has been engaged in numerous discussions with Western leaders, including Britain's Keir Starmer, France's Emmanuel Macron, and Germany's Olaf Scholz. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also held a call with Ukraine's foreign minister to outline the U.S. goals for sustainable support.
The Biden administration has intensified its military support for Ukraine in light of Trump’s victory, transferring additional weapons and approving Ukraine's deployment of long-range missiles against Russian targets. This decision has incited a furious reaction from Moscow, prompting Putin to authorize the launch of a new hypersonic missile aimed at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro and threatening further strikes on government facilities in Kyiv.
In a related development, Zelensky named a new Land Forces Commander, Mykhailo Drapaty, to fortify military leadership. Drapaty previously led forces in the northeastern Kharkiv region and has experience defending against a sudden Russian offensive earlier in the year. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov noted that these personnel changes are designed to enhance the army's combat readiness and introduce new management strategies.
As the situation continues to evolve, the international community watches closely, with hopes that diplomatic efforts might pave a path towards peace in a conflict that has already resulted in substantial loss and destruction.
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