Credit: Sky News
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday night that he is willing to give up territory to Russia to end the war for the first time.
The president of Ukraine said that his country would temporarily give up land in exchange for a “Nato umbrella” on Ukrainian territory.
He also added that after the cease-fire agreement, Kyiv could negotiate “in agreement” with the return of the eastern territory under Russian control.
“If we want to stop the hot war stage, we have to take it slow [the] Nato is revealing to us the territory of Ukraine under our control,” said Zelensky in an interview with Sky News.
“That’s what we need to do immediately, then Ukraine can regain another part of its territory in terms of communications,” he added.
The views represent a major shift in his position. Kyiv has said it will continue fighting Russia until Ukraine is returned to its internationally recognized borders, which include the four regions seized by Vladimir Putin in 2022, as well as Crimea.
The change comes as Donald Trump prepares to take office with a promise to end the war “on day one”. Meanwhile, support for the peace deal is also growing among European allies.
Under the plans put forward by Mr Trump’s team, the peace deal would see the front line suspended, and Ukraine agree to end its ambitions to join Nato for 20 years. If agreed, the US will pump Ukraine with weapons to deter future Russian aggression.
The position of the Ukrainian president has changed as Donald Trump prepares to take office
Mr Zelensky pointed out in his interview that the “Nato umbrella” would not be full Nato membership, something Putin has rejected as part of any peace deal.
Instead, it would mean NATO member states, including Britain, the US, France and Germany, provide individual security guarantees to Ukraine.
Asked in an interview whether Kyiv would be willing to leave Moscow’s territory completely in order to gain full membership in Nato, he said: “No one has promised us to be in Nato with one part or the other part of Ukraine.”
He added that “it is possible, but no one has given it”.
He later said that he would like to consider leaving the parts of Ukraine occupied by Russia in exchange for the free parts of Ukraine brought under the “Nato umbrella”.
Mr Trump’s inauguration on January 20 is expected to speed up talks on how to end the war.
Mr Trump is thought to be considering a plan to ask European and British troops to enforce an 800km buffer zone between Russian and Ukrainian forces as part of a plan to end the war.
Speaking to The Telegraph this week, Boris Johnson, the former prime minister, said British troops should help secure the Ukrainian border as part of any peace deal.
He said any responsibility for monitoring the future ceasefire line between Ukraine and Russia should be given to an international group of European peacekeeping forces.
“I don’t think we should send troops to attack the Russians,” he told the Telegraph’s Ukraine: The Latest podcast.
“But I think that as part of the solution, as part of the end-state, you will want to have European peacekeeping forces patrolling the border. [and] to help the people of Ukraine.
“I don’t see how a European project like this would be possible without the British.”
Mr Johnson said the West should clarify what security guarantees will be given to Ukraine as part of any peace agreement, to ensure that Russia will not suddenly attack again after a few years.
Mr Zelensky switched to English in the final part of his interview and suggested that other countries have illegally proposed a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
“Many different countries are proposing a ceasefire,” he said. “The question is, where did the shooting end?”
He went on to say that if a ceasefire is agreed upon, it must ensure that “Putin will not return”.
“We need it [Nato protection] too much, otherwise [Putin] it will come back. If not, how will we go about the petition? So for us, it is very dangerous.”
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