Ukraine might have to liberate some Russian-held territories through diplomatic means after the country's NATO membership becomes certain, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Kyodo News on Dec. 1.
"Our army lacks the strength to do that. That is true," Zelensky told the Japanese news agency regarding the liberation of territories held by Russia since 2014, including Crimea.
"We do have to find diplomatic solutions," he said, adding that liberation by force could be considered when Ukraine is strong enough to prevent new aggression by Russia.
The statement aligns with a recent rhetoric shift in Kyiv as Moscow's forces keep advancing in the east, and the future of Western support is uncertain under Donald Trump's upcoming presidency.
Zelensky had long been adamant about Ukraine's full territorial integrity as a key cornerstone of any peace deal. His more recent comments show a willingness to defer the status of occupied territories in exchange for entry into NATO while not recognizing Russian occupation as legitimate.
"We understand that Article 5, when you're a member of NATO, cannot apply to the entire territory of Ukraine during wartime, as countries are against the risks of being drawn into the war," Zelensky told Sky News last week.
The comments came as Ukraine has been urging NATO allies to invite Ukraine to join the alliance as early as next week during the NATO Foreign Ministerial Meeting on Dec. 3-4.
Speaking to Kyodo News, Zelensky said that the war has entered a "complicated period" and that the current level of international support is not sufficient. He reiterated his calls on NATO to launch talks with Kyiv as soon as possible.
Ukraine's head of state also commented on Trump's imminent return to the White House, saying that the president-elect's team is studying Ukraine's five-step victory plan.
"But there will be no capitulation from the side of Ukraine," Zelensky added.
Trump's presidency has sparked fears that Washington would pull the plug on Ukraine as the president-elect has criticized military aid for Kyiv. He has also pledged to bring both sides to the negotiating table, with some reports suggesting this plan could entail freezing the war along the current front lines and postponing Ukraine's NATO aspirations.
Oleg Sukhov
(Updated: )
