Zelenskyy: NATO's Article 5 May Not Apply to All Ukrainian Territories in Wartime

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that if Ukraine were to join NATO during Russia’s ongoing war, Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which ensures collective defense, might not apply to the entirety of Ukraine's territory.

This was stated by Zelenskyy during a joint press conference with President of the European Council António Costa on December 1.

He emphasized that the invitation to join NATO must apply to all of Ukraine, not just a part of it.

"There can be no invitation to NATO that applies to only part of Ukraine’s territory. Such an invitation would effectively acknowledge that other territories are not only at risk but also not Ukrainian. Ukraine will never agree to this. Any invitation must encompass all of Ukraine’s territories in their entirety," Zelenskyy stated.

At the same time, Zelenskyy acknowledged the limitations of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, may not be enforceable across all of Ukraine's territory during wartime.

"However, we understand that Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which applies when you are a NATO member, may not cover the entirety of Ukraine during wartime, as member countries are cautious about the risks of being drawn into the conflict," he explained.

The President emphasized that Ukraine will never legally recognize any Russian occupation of its territories.

"We do not recognize these lands as Russian. They are our lands, our people—temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine. Undoubtedly, all of this will return to us. Ideally, most of it would be reclaimed through diplomatic means. I’m not sure if Putin understands this, but I want the majority of the civilized world to comprehend it," the President stated.

In an interview on November 1, Zelenskyy suggested that diplomacy may play a crucial role in reclaiming Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea after Ukraine secures NATO membership.