US Proposed Ukraine Cede Donbas for NATO Membership, Zelensky Says
· World · BBC News, Times of India, Euronews
US negotiators have suggested that Ukraine could potentially join NATO if it withdraws its remaining forces from the Donbas region, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Saturday. The proposal was raised during meetings in Dublin involving US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who had recently held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Zelensky stated that he would consider putting a peace deal to a national referendum if it included security guarantees, funding for reconstruction, and no constraints on Ukraine's military. Russia currently occupies approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including large portions of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. While Zelensky noted that the US proposal suggests NATO membership is back on the agenda, he described the diplomatic situation as extremely difficult given Russia's persistent demands for territorial concessions and neutrality.
Why it matters
This proposal represents a significant shift in diplomatic discourse regarding the war, potentially forcing a choice between territorial integrity and long-term security guarantees through NATO membership.
Read the original report — BBC News
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