Zelensky says US raised NATO membership in exchange for Donbas withdrawal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States had raised the possibility of Ukraine withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region in exchange for membership in NATO. His account followed the latest round of peace talks with Russia, held in Abu Dhabi during the week, and came in remarks released by his office on November 14.

Zelensky described the idea as a question put forward by American negotiators about whether entry into the alliance would lead Ukraine to give up territory. He said it was the first time that particular exchange had been raised. The proposal he outlined linked a Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas to the country joining NATO.

The Ukrainian leader reiterated that Kyiv was unwilling to retreat from its territory. Alongside that position, he said his government was discussing specific security guarantees with the West. His remarks addressed both the territorial question raised by the Americans and the broader security arrangements Ukraine was seeking through the talks.

Zelensky said he would put the question to a referendum if Ukraine received a comprehensive security package. He described a package that would include security guarantees, a strong Ukrainian army with adequate funding, and money for reconstruction. He presented those elements together when explaining the circumstances in which he would seek a public vote.

The president also set out his assessment of the institutions underpinning European security. In comments made to reporters on Friday and held under embargo until Saturday, he identified the European Union and NATO as the continent’s only effective sources of protection. He described the two institutions as Europe’s only “real security.”

Zelensky warned that the Kremlin’s attempt to change Europe’s security architecture could bring further conflict. In his assessment, efforts of that kind risked leading to additional wars or escalation. His warning accompanied his insistence that the EU and NATO were central to security in Europe, with no other equivalent source of protection.

The remarks brought together Zelensky’s account of the American proposal, his continued rejection of a territorial retreat and his conditions for a referendum. As discussions over Western guarantees continued, he outlined the military support and reconstruction funding he wanted included alongside security commitments in any comprehensive package for Ukraine.