‘US floated idea of Ukraine ceding Donbas for NATO membership’

US negotiators have proposed a controversial idea during peace talks with Russia: Ukraine potentially ceding the eastern region of Donbas in exchange for NATO membership, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This is the first time such a suggestion has been raised in the ongoing discussions, Zelenskyy stated in an interview with reporters.

The American proposal revolves around the notion of Ukraine's NATO membership triggering the withdrawal from Donbas, a region that has been a point of contention in the conflict. Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about Ukraine's readiness to give up territory, but he proposed a referendum if Ukraine were to receive a comprehensive package of security guarantees, including a strong and well-funded military and funds for reconstruction.

He dismissed Russia's proposal for a broader agreement on European security before ending the war, emphasizing that the conflict must be concluded first. Zelenskyy also rejected Putin's suggestion of a humanitarian ceasefire in Kostiantynivka, a city in the Donetsk region, arguing that Moscow lacks the capability to capture it through force.

The Ukrainian president noted that civilians in the city have already been given the option to evacuate. Zelenskyy claimed that Russia prefers to target civilians in these frontline settlements, despite Ukraine's list of seven to eight such locations where people, including children, are trapped. Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians during the war.