US raises unprecedented Donbas proposal: Would Ukraine give up its eastern territory to Russia for NATO membership?
US negotiators have raised the possibility of Ukraine withdrawing from Donbas in exchange for NATO membership during peace talks, Zelenskyy said. Kyiv has ruled out surrendering territory without security guarantees, military support and financial aid.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed during recent peace talks with Russia that the United States proposed Ukraine may relinquish control of its eastern Donbas region in exchange for NATO membership. This suggestion was made for the first time during the ongoing negotiations between US, Ukrainian and Russian representatives in Abu Dhabi.
Zelenskyy stated that the American proposal linked the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO to territorial concessions, implying a difficult decision for Ukraine. Russia opposes Ukraine's NATO membership, viewing it as a security threat. The Ukrainian leader stressed that he won't consider giving up any territory without strong security assurances, including guarantees from NATO and the EU, an equipped military, troops and weapons, and financial aid for reconstruction.
However, even if such an agreement were negotiated, Russia has consistently refused to accept Ukraine's NATO membership as a condition for peace.
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