Zelenskyy Says US Floated Ukraine Ceding Donbas for NATO Membership

US negotiators have floated the idea that Ukraine should cede parts of the eastern Donbas region in exchange for NATO membership, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, after the latest rounds of Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi and Ireland.

Zelenskyy said it was the first time the question of linking NATO membership to territorial concessions had been raised, in remarks released by his office on Saturday.

"The Americans raised a question: 'What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?'" he said. "That is why I believe NATO is back on the agenda."

Ukraine refuses to cede territory

The Ukrainian president said the parts of Donbas the US asked about were areas Russia does not control, and that he refused to cede territory.

"[Russian President Vladimir] 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," he said. "This is dangerous because, in my view, it is precisely things like this that lead to wars or escalations."

Putin has long said that Ukrainian membership of NATO is a red line for Moscow, citing the issue as one reason for launching Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Referendum condition

Zelenskyy said that if Ukraine received a comprehensive package — including security guarantees, military and reconstruction funds, and a recovery plan from the US and other partners — he would put the question of ceding parts of Donbas to a national referendum.

"If the American side confirms precisely this to us, together with other NATO partners, then I will ask our Ukrainian society what it thinks: do we accept it or not?" he said.

He stressed that any arrangement would not involve recognizing occupied territories as Russian. Zelenskyy also rejected the possibility of Ukraine committing to neutrality, saying that would require changing the country's 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."

The diplomatic push has continued alongside continued fighting. Russia and Ukraine reported numerous overnight attacks this week, and three people were killed in Russia, according to reports.

The talks in Abu Dhabi, convened by the United States, focused on ending the war, post-war security arrangements and de-escalation. US envoys also arrived in Moscow for talks on November 12.