U.S. asks whether Ukraine would leave Donbas if it joined NATO, Zelenskyy says

On November 13, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that the United States inquired whether Ukraine would cede Donbas if it became a NATO member. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine will not retreat or relinquish its territories during an interview with reporters. The inquiry was the initial of its kind, according to Zelenskyy.

Ukraine is presently engaging with partners on a comprehensive security package that comprises NATO and EU security assurances, a robust military force, weaponry, and funding for a certain duration, and a reconstruction blueprint complete with funding sources, according to Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy stated that he lacks the authority to make the final decision and reiterated that the issue is not about acknowledging occupied territories as Russian.

The United States has pledged security guarantees "akin to Articles 4 and 5" of the NATO treaty, although Washington denied deploying American troops on Ukrainian soil. U.S. officials likened the guarantees to those the United States maintains with Israel or specific Arab countries, where American bases and air defense systems are established.

Ukraine seeks precise specifications regarding the implications of such guarantees. The first trilateral meetings involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia since February took place in Abu Dhabi from November 10-11. Ahead of these discussions, a U.S. official informed Reuters that Washington had requested Russia to endorse security guarantees for Ukraine modeled on NATO's Article 5, with territorial matters to be addressed at the negotiations' conclusion.

U.S. negotiators suggested modifying the borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions to enable Russia to assert control over them without requiring the transfer of Ukrainian cities. Ukraine rejected the proposal, and the United States would not endorse a security arrangement with Russia without European and Ukrainian involvement, according to Axios.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner engaged in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on November 12, followed by meetings with Zelenskyy in Dublin the same day.