Washington Mooted Ukrainian Membership Of NATO In Exchange For Territorial Concessions: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that the U.S. suggested that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the war-torn Donbas region in exchange for membership of NATO.

"The Americans raised a question: 'What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?' This was the first time this had been raised," Zelenskyy told reporters. The remarks were released by the Ukrainian leader's office on Saturday.

The proposal will likely prove controversial in both Moscow and Kyiv.

Earlier this week, Ukraine rejected a U.S. proposal to redraw the borders of the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region according to where the current front line sits, the Telegraph reported on Tuesday.

The move would have allowed Russia to control about 90% of the territory which it currently occupies, but would have meant that Ukraine retains the Donbas cities not yet under Russian occupation.

"Ukraine's delegation never discussed any concessions on any territories which Russia occupies. Ukraine will never recognize it [Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory], neither de facto nor de jure. And this has always been our position at the table," a Ukrainian source told the British outlet.

On the other hand, it was revealed on Friday that, during trilateral talks between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi earlier this week, Russia had laid out a series of conditions that Ukraine and other European nations had to meet in order for hostilities to end, one of which included a guarantee that Ukraine would not join NATO, but left open the possibility of Ukraine joining the EU.

Nevertheless, Zelenskyy appeared to be enthusiastic about the American proposal, suggesting that he would put it to a referendum.

"If the American side confirms this to us together with other NATO colleagues, then I will ask the opinion of our society: do we accept or do we not accept? I do not have the right not to do this at my own discretion. But specifics are needed, which do not exist yet, and all of this is under discussion," the Ukrainian leader said.

Ukraine has long desired membership of the military alliance; Zelenskyy announced in September 2022 that the country had submitted an application for accelerated membership following the Russian invasion in February 2022. Kyiv largely sees NATO membership as a key safeguard against future Russian incursion into its territory.

Moscow, on the other hand, has consistently said that having another NATO member on its border - in addition to Finland, the Baltic States and Norway - would pose an unacceptable threat to its national security.

Despite Zelenskyy's apparent enthusiasm about NATO, in his words, being "back on the agenda," the Ukrainian politician reiterated that no agreement could involve legal recognition of territories under Russian occupation

"If there is such a proposal, I, as president, will enter into an open dialogue with society and say: 'Look, here is where we are, here is how all partners have united, and here is how they see it moving forward.' Undoubtedly, without any recognition of occupied territories as Russian," he said.