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US proposed Ukraine cedes Donbas in exchange for joining NATO, Zelensky says
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says US negotiators raised the possibility of Ukraine withdrawing from Donbas in exchange for joining NATO. The proposal matters because it links a territorial concession to Ukraine’s future security arrangements, while Kyiv says it will not retreat from its land.
Zelensky said the question was raised after the latest round of peace talks with Russia in Abu Dhabi. He said he would put the matter to a referendum only if Ukraine received comprehensive security guarantees, a strong, well-funded army and rebuilding funds. He also called the EU and NATO Europe’s only real security, warning that changes to the continent’s security system could bring further conflict.
In short
- US negotiators raised a Donbas withdrawal in exchange for NATO membership.
- Zelensky says Ukraine will not retreat from its territory.
- A referendum would depend on strong security guarantees and rebuilding support.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters could argue that considering a territorial withdrawal in return for NATO membership might offer Ukraine a credible security guarantee and a path to end the fighting, if the terms were enforceable and backed by public consent. A negotiated settlement could spare lives and provide a basis for reconstruction, while recognising the severe limits on what Ukraine can secure militarily.
The case against
Opponents could argue that surrendering Donbas would reward territorial conquest, abandon residents and weaken the principle that borders cannot be changed by force. They may also doubt that NATO membership or other guarantees would be delivered or deter future aggression, leaving Ukraine less secure after making an irreversible concession.
Explained simply
Donbas is a region in eastern Ukraine that includes Donetsk and Luhansk. Since 2014, parts of it have been under the control of Russian-backed forces; Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and claims the region as its own, claims Ukraine rejects.
Ukraine’s government, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, says it will not give up its territory. NATO is a military alliance whose members agree to treat an attack on one as a matter for all, so Ukraine’s possible membership is tied to questions about its future security and the terms of any peace agreement.
Americas Europe Geopolitics Government Politics World