Ukraine needs NATO for controlled territories to end hot phase of war – Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes the "hot phase" of the war will end when the non-occupied parts of Ukraine come under NATO protection. As for the occupied territories, Ukraine plans to pursue their return through diplomatic efforts, the president said in an interview with Sky News.

"If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we need to take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelenskyy said.

According to him, this approach would pave the way for negotiations to reclaim the remaining territories "in a diplomatic way" at a later stage.

Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of including all internationally recognized Ukrainian borders in NATO's invitation provisions to ensure their future protection.