Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the US to convince “sceptics” in Europe that Ukraine should be invited to join Nato. For the first time the Ukrainian president indicated that Kyiv could accept Russian control over some of its territory in order to end the “hot phase of the war”, and on the condition that Ukraine joins Nato.

Volodymyr Zelensky’s suggestion that Ukraine could temporarily cede territory to Russia in exchange for joining Nato would mark a “major concession” to Vladimir Putin, the UK’s former ambassador to Russia has said.