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.

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

In a single post, the president-elect told the world what the end of the Ukraine war might look like. And it is going to be a big diplomatic ask, to say the least.

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

In an interview with Sky News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the possibility of applying a "NATO umbrella" to territory currently in Ukraine's control to move towards bringing a stop to the "hot stage of the war,

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,