US Floats NATO Seat for Ukraine in Donbas Swap

Key takeaways: US negotiators have floated NATO membership for Ukraine in exchange for Kyiv withdrawing from Donbas, President Zelenskyy says. He refuses to cede territory but would put a full peace package to a national referendum.

Flat illustration of a stylised map of Europe in deep navy blue with a gold compass star and shield above the eastern region, divided by a torn-paper line — Illustration: WHAT TODAY?

United States negotiators have floated the idea of Ukraine joining NATO in exchange for withdrawing from its Donbas region, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. It is the first time the question of linking NATO membership to territorial concessions has been raised in the peace talks, according to the Ukrainian leader.

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner put the idea to Zelenskyy during the latest round of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi last week. The two days of talks ended on Wednesday without a major breakthrough, though the sides agreed a prisoner exchange involving more than 1,000 people.

“The Americans raised a question: ‘What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?'” Zelenskyy told reporters in remarks released by his office on Saturday. “That is why I believe NATO is back on the agenda.”

What Kyiv would accept

Zelenskyy repeated that Ukraine is not ready to give up territory. But he said he would put the question to a national referendum if Kyiv received a comprehensive package in return: security guarantees, the right to keep a strong and well-funded army, and money to rebuild the country.

He also rejected Ukraine committing to neutrality, saying it would require changing the constitution and would not guarantee lasting security. “Real security in Europe means the EU and NATO. That’s it. There is no other security in Europe,” he said.

Donbas is made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces in eastern Ukraine. Russia controls about 88 percent of the region, having occupied almost all of Luhansk and most of Donetsk since its 2022 invasion. Moscow has demanded Ukrainian troops withdraw from the parts they still hold, plus parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson that Russia already occupies.

Why the idea faces long odds

Ukraine applied to join NATO in September 2022 and has lobbied allies ever since to speed up its accession. But NATO members remain divided over offering membership while the war continues, and under President Donald Trump the US has been far less receptive, with Trump publicly telling Ukraine to give up its hopes of joining.

For Moscow it is equally difficult. President Vladimir Putin has long called Ukrainian NATO membership a red line and cited it as one reason for the invasion. The Kremlin has not yet responded to the latest proposal and continues to demand that Ukraine abandon its NATO ambitions and accept neutral status.

Analysts were sceptical. Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund called the NATO element “very doubtful”, saying it was “hard to imagine Moscow agreeing to this”. Harry Nedelcu of Rasmussen Global said everything indicated Russia would never accept Ukraine joining NATO.

The US has not explicitly confirmed that it suggested Kyiv cede territory for NATO membership. Hours after Zelenskyy’s remarks, Kushner wrote on X that “several new ideas emerged” from the private discussions and that “practical compromises will be necessary to end this war”.

What happens next

Witkoff and Kushner met Putin in Moscow on Thursday, then briefed Zelenskyy in Dublin before a meeting of European leaders on Friday. All sides have agreed Europe will have a seat at the table in future talks, with a team of Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland, plus EU officials.

Zelenskyy also said the envoys had pledged to raise an energy ceasefire with Putin, but there was no news of progress. “Putin personally does not support a ceasefire,” he said.

No date has been set for the next round. Watch for the Kremlin’s response, any confirmation from Washington, and the timing of the agreed prisoner exchange, whose final numbers are still under discussion.

Frequently asked questions

Q: What did the US propose on Ukraine and NATO?

A: According to President Zelenskyy, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner asked whether Ukraine would withdraw from the Donbas region if it were admitted to NATO. It is the first time the idea of trading territory for NATO membership has been raised in the talks.

Q: Would Ukraine give up the Donbas?

A: Zelenskyy says Kyiv will not cede territory. He said he would only put the question to a national referendum if Ukraine received a full peace package, including security guarantees, a strong and well-funded army, and reconstruction funds.

Q: What happens next in the peace talks?

A: No date has been set for the next round. Europe will join future talks, and the two sides have agreed a prisoner exchange of more than 1,000 people, with final numbers still under discussion.