Ruling out NATO membership is a 'gift to Russia', Zelenskyy warns, as Starmer says military plans 'coming into focus'
20 March 2025, 15:23
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that taking NATO membership for Ukraine off the table is "a big gift" to Russia.
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Mr Zelenskyy also insisted in a press conference with the EU that occupied Crimea is "a Ukrainian peninsula", when asked if his country could make territorial concessions to Russia in a peace deal.
He also said that "all nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine", after Donald Trump suggested yesterday that the US could take over management of the country's nuclear plants.
Mr Zelenskyy criticised Vladimir Putin for making "unnecessary demands" as part of a peace deal, adding he must "start fulfilling what he promises the world".
Meanwhile Keir Starmer said a meeting of defence chiefs will turn the idea of a peacekeeping force for Ukraine from a political concept to "military plans".
The Prime Minister said the "timetable now is coming into focus" following talks between the US and Russia and that if a deal comes to fruition, the so-called coalition of the willing needs to be ready to react right away.
"That's why it's important today that we're turning the political momentum that we had on the weekend, in the meeting that I convened of nearly 30 political leaders, turning it today from the political concept into military plans," he said.
"So, that's what's happening and today, those plans are focusing on keeping the skies safe, the seas safe, and the borders safe and secure in Ukraine and working with Ukrainians.
"Now, we're working at pace, because we don't know if there'll be a deal - I certainly hope there will be - but if there's a deal, it's really important that we're able to react straight away."
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The meeting of military chiefs from the UK and its allies is to discuss how peacekeepers could operate in Ukraine to deter further Russian attacks if a deal to end the war is reached.
That could mean British forces currently guarding Nato's eastern flank being redeployed to Ukraine, with other allies filling the gap.
Calls this week between US President Donald Trump, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Mr Zelenskyy have failed to produce the 30-day ceasefire envisaged by the White House.
Instead Vladimir Putin agreed to a truce on striking energy infrastructure, although Ukraine has said other civilian targets including a hospital had been struck.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy meanwhile called on Mr Putin to commit to a "full and immediate ceasefire" proposed by Washington and Kyiv as Russian forces continued to bombard Ukraine.
Mr Lammy, who spoke to his US counterpart Marco Rubio on Wednesday night, said: "Putin must commit to a full and immediate ceasefire without conditions - as Ukraine has done."
Downing Street said the military leaders would be involved in "granular planning" of the details of any potential deployment.
Mr Zelenskyy said he believes a "lasting peace can be achieved this year" after his call with Mr Trump.
In the same call, Mr Trump suggested that the US takes ownership of Ukrainian power plants to ensure their security.
Sir Keir said it is "a matter for them" when asked if he supported that idea.
Mr Zelenskyy was updating European Union leaders on the discussions during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.
Overnight, Mr Zelenskyy said Russia carried out a series of drone attacks.
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"Last night, the Russians launched nearly 200 Shahed drones and decoy UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)," he said.
"A massive attack on the Kirovohrad region left 10 people wounded, including four children, and caused damage to homes, a church, and infrastructure."
British military intelligence officials estimate 200-250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since the 2022 invasion, the country's largest losses since the Second World War.
"Russian President Putin and the Russian military leadership highly likely prioritise their conflict objectives over the lives of Russian soldiers," the assessment released by the Ministry of Defence said.
"They are almost certainly prepared to tolerate continuously high casualty rates so long as this does not negatively affect public or elite support for the war, and those losses can be replaced."
In total there have been an estimated 900,000 casualties, including the wounded, with the bulk of military personnel drawn from impoverished regions and ethnic minorities, the defence intelligence update said.
