American diplomats have quietly asked Kyiv whether it would surrender lands it still controls in eastern Ukraine if Western allies grant full ukraine nato membership, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Saturday.
The proposal, floated during recent peace talks in Abu Dhabi and Ireland, ties Western military protection directly to territorial surrender for the first time since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. For Ukrainians, that trade-off would mean pulling troops back from fortified front lines across the Donbas region that Russian forces have failed to capture by force.
Also read: Ukraine Ceding Donbas for Nato Raised by US, Says Zelensky
Zelenskyy rejected giving up land outright, warning that appeasing Moscow’s expansionism creates wider dangers across the continent.
“Putin’s desire to change borders in Europe is a fact. I am sure this is part of his concept of revising security guarantees in Europe,”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has treated any path toward ukraine nato membership as a strict red line, using Kyiv’s Western integration to justify invading in the first place.
What American negotiators asked in private
Zelenskyy told reporters that US representatives explicitly tested the waters on exchanging land for treaty protection during the recent diplomatic rounds.
“The Americans raised a question: ‘What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?’” Zelenskyy said. “That is why I believe NATO is back on the agenda.”
The specific areas US envoys inquired about are sections of the Donbas that Ukrainian soldiers still actively hold. Zelenskyy made clear he would not unilaterally give up that territory under outside pressure.
Why Zelenskyy demands a referendum
While dismissing backroom concessions, Zelenskyy laid out one scenario where the proposal could be considered. He said he would let the Ukrainian public vote on giving up parts of Donbas if Western partners deliver an ironclad recovery and defense pact.
That offer would have to include formal security guarantees, military backing, reconstruction funds, and a concrete recovery plan backed by Washington and European allies. Even under those conditions, Ukraine would never legally recognize occupied regions as Russian land.
Zelenskyy also closed the door on Kremlin demands that Kyiv write permanent neutrality into its constitution. “If Putin expects Ukraine’s neutrality to be enshrined, that’s not going to happen,” he said. “We’re not in NATO right now anyway.”
Europe sets its diplomatic team for peace talks
While Washington tests territory-for-alliance trades, European leaders meeting in Ireland agreed on a unified structure for upcoming negotiations.
The European team will bring together officials from five major military powers alongside European Union diplomats:
- Britain
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Poland
That European delegation plans to coordinate directly with American and Ukrainian officials. They will not hold direct talks with Moscow.
Overnight strikes amid the diplomacy
The talk of exchanging ground for ukraine nato membership unfolded alongside intense battlefield combat across both countries.
Russian authorities reported that Ukraine launched roughly 1,200 drones overnight, aiming strikes at Russian oil infrastructure. Across the border, Ukrainian officials reported Russian strikes hitting a hospital and port facilities in Odesa.
European envoys and their American counterparts are scheduled to align their negotiation strategy in the coming weeks, while Kyiv waits to see whether Washington formally puts the alliance proposal in writing.
Source: Al Jazeera
