Ukraine plans to indefinitely hold Russian territory captured in its surprise invasion of the border region of Kursk last month, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told our US partner network NBC News.
The Ukrainian president said in an exclusive interview that holding the territory was integral to his "victory plan" to force Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and bring an end to the war
He said he would present the proposal to international partners, including the US.
Appearing to confirm Ukrainian troops would eventually withdraw, Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine didn't "need their land".
"We don't want to bring our Ukrainian way of life there," he said.
The president declined to say whether Ukraine planned to try and take more Russian territory.
"With all respect, I can't speak about it, I think the success is very close to surprise," he said.
Ukrainian forces crossed the border into Kursk on 6 August in a shock attack which saw them seize a series of villages and take hundreds of prisoners. Moscow vowed to retaliate.
