Zelensky Says U.S. Raised Donbas Withdrawal for NATO Membership

Zelensky said U.S. negotiators raised for the first time whether Ukraine would pull its forces from parts of the eastern Donbas region if it joined NATO. Ukrainian forces still control some of the territory, which Russian troops have not captured. Russia controls much of Donbas, and President Vladimir Putin has cited Ukraine’s possible NATO membership as a reason for the invasion launched in 2022.

Zelensky said Ukraine would not recognize Russian sovereignty over occupied land or agree to neutrality, which he said would require a constitutional change. He said he would put any arrangement to Ukrainians if the United States and NATO partners offered specific security guarantees, including a strong Ukrainian military. He said he could not make that decision alone.

The question arose amid U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi involving Russian, Ukrainian and U.S. officials. The discussions, the first trilateral negotiations in nine months, ended without a major breakthrough, though Zelensky and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described them as constructive.

Zelensky has also called for Europe to have a permanent role in negotiations. EU leaders agreed that Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland would speak for Europe together with EU bodies during the subsequent session. A November 10 statement by U.S., Ukrainian and European officials backed credible security guarantees for Kyiv but did not endorse Ukraine’s NATO membership. Any membership would require agreement among NATO members.

Ukraine Should Not Trade Defended Territory for Unspecified Guarantees

The question put to Kyiv is stark: would Ukraine pull back from parts of Donbas its forces still hold for the prospect of NATO membership? Zelensky said U.S. negotiators raised the idea for the first time, but stressed that no concrete proposal or detailed guarantees have been presented.

That distinction matters. Zelensky said Ukraine would not recognize Russian sovereignty over occupied territory and would not accept neutrality. He said he would take any arrangement to the Ukrainian public only if the United States and NATO partners confirmed a comprehensive security package, including a strong Ukrainian military. He said the decision was not his alone to make.

The talks in Abu Dhabi, involving Russian, Ukrainian and U.S. officials, ended without a major breakthrough. A November 10 statement backed credible security guarantees for Kyiv but stopped short of endorsing NATO membership. The alliance’s future role for Ukraine depends on members’ agreement and conditions being met.

European leaders have agreed that Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland will speak for Europe together with EU bodies during the subsequent session. That involvement matters as negotiators discuss both territorial questions and wider security arrangements. Ukraine’s defenders should not be asked to weigh a retreat against assurances that remain undefined.

Donbas-for-NATO Question Puts Alliance Costs at Center of Talks

A possible trade-off over Donbas has entered the peace discussions: Zelensky says U.S. negotiators asked whether Ukraine would withdraw from parts of the region in exchange for NATO membership. He said the issue was raised for the first time, and that no detailed offer has emerged.

The question underscores the stakes of expanding the alliance. NATO membership requires agreement among its members, and a November 10 statement by U.S., Ukrainian and European officials backed security guarantees without endorsing Kyiv’s entry. Rubio has cited the unanimous-consent requirement while saying the immediate focus is ending the conflict.

Zelensky says Ukraine will not recognize Russian sovereignty over occupied land or accept neutrality. He said a proposal would need specific guarantees from the United States and NATO partners, including support for a strong Ukrainian military, and would go to the Ukrainian public. Any arrangement therefore faces difficult choices, not a settled bargain.

The Abu Dhabi talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States ended without a major breakthrough. European leaders have agreed that Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland will join EU institutions in representing Europe at the next round. The negotiations now concern territorial control as well as the security framework around the conflict.