US asked Ukraine to cede Donbas in exchange for NATO membership, Zelensky says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the potential for NATO membership in exchange for withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region during recent peace talks with Russia held in Abu Dhabi. Zelensky stated that the United States had raised the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO and withdrawing from Donbas, which was the first time this idea had been proposed.

However, Zelensky reiterated that Kyiv would not surrender any of its territory and proposed a referendum on the matter if Ukraine received a comprehensive security package. This package would include security guarantees, a strong and well-funded Ukrainian army, and funds for rebuilding. Zelensky noted that any such arrangement would need to be approved by both the United States and NATO allies before being put to a vote.

He ruled out recognizing any occupied Ukrainian territory as Russian and emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not be trusted. The talks, mediated by the United States, had made progress toward a large-scale prisoner exchange but remained divided over territory and postwar security guarantees.