### Zelenskyy Calls for NATO Protection to End 'Hot Phase' of War

In a recent interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on NATO to extend guaranteed protections to the regions of Ukraine that are not under Russian occupation as a strategy to end the intense phase of the ongoing conflict. Zelenskyy proposed that these areas should be brought "under the NATO umbrella," while still affirming Ukraine's internationally recognized borders.

Zelenskyy believes that such a move could facilitate negotiations with Russia to regain the currently occupied territories through diplomatic means. "If we want to stop the hot phase of the war, we should quickly take under the NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control," Zelenskyy stated. He emphasized that this should be the first step before Ukraine addresses the return of other parts of its territory diplomatically.

The Ukrainian leader also suggested that integrating the controlled territories into NATO could form the foundation for a cease-fire agreement with Moscow. However, he stressed the importance of offering NATO membership to the entire country within its recognized borders. "You can't give [an] invitation to just one part of a country," Zelenskyy noted. "Why? Because [if you did that] you would recognize that Ukraine is only that territory of Ukraine, and the other one is Russia."

The conflict, now approaching its third year, has seen an escalation, with Moscow recently threatening to target government buildings in Kyiv. This comes in response to Ukraine's use of advanced weapons from the U.S. and the U.K. against Russian territory. The Kremlin has continued its aerial attacks on Ukraine's energy sector.

Zelenskyy admitted that his proposal is speculative, stating, "Ukraine has never considered such a proposal, because no one has officially offered it to us." NATO has not yet commented on Zelenskyy's suggestion. The president highlighted that previous proposals to cease the fighting lacked a robust mechanism to prevent future Russian attacks, insisting that only NATO membership could provide the necessary guarantee.

In a separate development, Zelenskyy announced changes in the military leadership, appointing Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new commander of Kyiv's land forces. Drapatyi replaces Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk, who had led the land forces since February. Zelenskyy underscored the importance of effective personnel management for achieving better outcomes on the battlefield. "The Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are the backbone of our army," he stated. "Changes are needed - changes in personnel management that will ensure better results on the battlefield."