Zelensky says Ukraine's neutrality won't be enshrined in Constitution amid push from Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that US negotiators have proposed Ukraine ceding its remaining forces in the eastern Donbas region in exchange for NATO membership, according to his office. This was one of the first times such an idea had been raised, as reported by Zelensky. The suggestion came after US President Donald Trump's envoys met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky during efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president expressed willingness to put the proposal to a referendum if it included security guarantees, no constraints on Ukraine's military, and funds to rebuild the country. However, Zelensky also cautioned that Russia's position on the war has not changed and that its demands for territorial concessions and neutrality remain far beyond what Ukraine is prepared to consider.

Russia, currently occupying a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including most of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up the Donbas, continues to demand territorial settlements and security arrangements as part of a final peace deal. The latest talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the US took place in Abu Dhabi, with questions of European security on the agenda.

Russia has previously proposed limiting the size of Ukraine's military and rolling back military infrastructure from central and eastern European countries that became NATO members after the Soviet Union's dissolution. Ukraine has rejected these demands, arguing that they would hinder its ability to defend against future invasions.