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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that United States peace envoys inquired whether Kyiv would consider withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region if it were granted NATO membership, according to remarks to the media published on Saturday.
Referendum Proposal and NATO Discussions
The question was raised following the latest round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending Russia’s nearly five-year war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy noted that the concept of exchanging a withdrawal from Donbas for NATO membership had not been presented in earlier negotiations.
Reaffirming Kyiv’s long-standing position, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine remains unwilling to cede territory to Russia. However, he stated that if a broad package was negotiated—encompassing security guarantees, a strong and well-funded military, and reconstruction funds—he would place the matter before the Ukrainian public in a referendum.
Addressing the diplomatic landscape, the Ukrainian president remarked: “The Americans raised a question: ‘What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?'” He added, “That is why I believe NATO is back on the agenda. But you have also heard [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s signals, and this is an extremely difficult conversation.”
European Security Architecture
Zelenskyy expressed concern regarding Moscow’s efforts to alter the continent’s security setup, particularly Putin’s demand for NATO forces to pull back from borders near Russia, a position that European Union leaders have strongly criticized. “This is dangerous because, in my view, it is precisely things like this that lead to wars or escalations,” Zelenskyy stated, adding that “Real security in Europe means the EU and NATO. That’s it. There is no other security in Europe.”
Amid these diplomatic developments, the EU announced on Friday that representatives from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Poland would participate in upcoming peace negotiations. Moscow has repeatedly advocated for excluding European nations from the talks due to their support for Kyiv.
Infrastructure Strikes and Military Developments
The diplomatic updates coincide with continuing military activity across the region. Russia’s Defence Ministry stated that its military had seized the settlement of Tersianka in southeastern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to news agency Interfax. The report added that Russian forces conducted strikes on Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure, as well as ammunition storage and drone production facilities.
Repeated missile strikes on Ukrainian power plants have left millions of citizens without electricity and heating during severe winter conditions. Zelenskyy cautioned that Putin was “betting everything” on the current winter military campaign in an attempt to undermine civilian morale.
