NATO protection for part of Ukraine?

When asked about NATO, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “no one has offered” Ukraine a place in the alliance, but he suggested that if an invitation was sent to the parts of the country controlled by his military, this could end the “hot stage” of war.

This would be conditional on the NATO invitation itself recognizing Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders – including Crimea and areas in the east of the country currently occupied by Russia.

He appeared to accept that occupied parts of the country would fall outside such an agreement for now, and that their eventual return would be negotiated diplomatically at a future date.

Working with Trump

Mr Zelenskyy said he had not spoken to the president-elect since September, but added that he wants the pair to exchange ideas.

“We had a conversation. It was very warm, good, constructive… It was a very good meeting and it was an important first step – now we have to prepare some meetings,” he said.

He also spoke of the need for bipartisan support from both Democrats and Republicans, saying there are “a lot of voices from both parties that are on our side.”

“People more important than land”

The Ukrainian leader said it was “difficult” to talk about the morale of soldiers at the front, amid reports that it is low.

He spoke of the primary importance of his country’s people, more than territory.

“This war (is) for the independence of the people, not for the country,” he said. “The land is very important, it is part of the identity. But the people are the most important.”

Draft age

Mr Zelenskyy brushed off a question about the retirement age in Ukraine, following recent suggestions from some quarters that it should be lowered to 18 to ease labor shortages in Kiev.

“I think we have a lot of soldiers, but the limitation is that, frankly, we have to save as many lives as possible,” he said.

“And if in European or American offices there is an idea that we have to do something different with the expiration, I just want to ask our partners to do their part, and we will deal with our job.”

Putin a “terrorist”

Putin “he thinks we are part of Russia,” Zelenskyy said, saying no one can change the Kremlin chief’s opinion.

In a major development, he suggested he would be open to talking to the Russian leader.

But he added: “Not to give him a chance to give us an ultimatum… because he’s a killer, and he’s a terrorist, and he’s alone.”