Sat Nov 30 03:14:52 UTC 2024: ## Zelensky Proposes NATO Protection for Controlled Ukrainian Territory to Halt War

**Kyiv, Ukraine –** Amidst escalating tensions in the nearly three-year-old Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a novel approach to peace: placing Ukrainian-controlled territory under NATO’s protective umbrella. This, he suggested to Sky News, would be a crucial step in halting the ongoing conflict.

Zelensky indicated a willingness to potentially postpone reclaiming the roughly 18% of Ukrainian territory currently occupied by Russia, if such a NATO guarantee could secure the remaining areas and bring an end to the fighting. His statement follows a week of heightened conflict, including Russia’s massive aerial attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and threats to strike Kyiv’s government buildings – retaliatory measures, Moscow claims, for Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied long-range missiles on Russian territory.

“If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take under NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control,” Zelensky stated. He added that securing such protection would allow Ukraine to diplomatically regain lost territory later.

This proposal comes as discussions of a potential ceasefire or peace deal have intensified since Donald Trump’s recent US presidential election victory. Trump’s past criticism of US aid to Ukraine and his claims of being able to quickly resolve the conflict have further complicated the situation.

Zelensky clarified that any NATO offer should ideally encompass all of Ukraine. However, his suggestion regarding NATO protection for currently controlled territories implies acceptance of practical safeguards, such as Article Five’s collective defense clause, for those areas alone. He stressed the need for such guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.

The conflict’s escalation has led Zelensky to engage in numerous phone calls with Western leaders in recent days, including the UK’s Keir Starmer, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and Germany’s Olaf Scholz. Meanwhile, the US has increased its support for Ukraine, particularly following Trump’s election, providing additional weapons and authorization for long-range missile strikes on Russian territory, prompting a furious response from Moscow. In a related development, Zelensky appointed a new Land Forces Commander, aiming to strengthen the army’s leadership and combat readiness.

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