Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky said he might be willing to cede Russian-occupied portions of Ukraine to Russia in exchange for NATO membership for the rest of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he wants to work “directly” with US President-elect Donald Trump and is open to his ideas, highlighting Kyiv’s eagerness to keep its most important ally onside as Russia intensifies its attacks.

An offer of NATO membership to territory under Kyiv’s control would end “the hot stage of the war” in Ukraine, but any proposal to join the military alliance should be extended to all parts of the country that fall under internationally recognized borders,

In further remarks to Sky News, the UK’s former representative to Nato, Sir Adam Thomson, said that Mr Zelensky appeared to be preparing domestic audiences for compromises, while “making opening moves” in a likely extended negotiation with Mr Trump over which line to take with the Kremlin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested this week that NATO welcoming Ukraine into the alliance could halt the “hot stage” of the war, while Russia would temporarily keep the territory it overtook.

Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his need to speak to Donald Trump directly without “different voices from people around him” that could risk destroying their communication. In a wide-ranging interview with Sky News,

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says an offer of NATO membership to territory under Kyiv’s control would end “the hot stage of the war” in Ukraine

Zelenskyy suggested that the "hot phase" of the Russia-Ukraine war could end if unoccupied parts of Ukraine came "under the NATO umbrella."

He was asked by Sky News whether he would accept Nato membership, but only on the territory that Kyiv currently holds. Zelensky said he would, but only if Nato membership was offered to the whole of Ukraine,