In the closest thing to ceding territory to Russia, Zelensky recently declared that the parts of Ukraine not under Russian control should be under NATO. The problem is, if this plan happens, and Russia gets closer to NATO controlled Ukraine, that means a direct conflict between NATO members and Russia. As we read in the New York Times:

In an interview with Sky News released on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine suggested that a way to stop the “hot phase” of the war would be to let Ukraine join NATO and bring the land it controls under the protection of the military alliance. Kyiv would then try to reclaim the territory occupied by Russia “in a diplomatic way,” he said. It was one of Mr. Zelensky’s clearest concessions that the war could end without a quick return of occupied land, a sensitive issue in Ukraine.

NATO members have so far resisted extending an invitation for Ukraine to join the alliance during the war, concerned that it would make the alliance an active participant in the fighting. The prospects seem even dimmer with President-elect Donald J. Trump set to take office, as his team has signaled reluctance to support Ukraine’s membership in the near future.