Zelenskyy says US raised Donbas cession for NATO membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says US envoys raised the possibility of Ukraine ceding the Donbas to Russia in exchange for a path to NATO membership. He said the proposal was discussed as part of efforts to end the war with Russia.

According to Zelenskyy, the United States asked for the first time whether Kyiv would give up territory to Moscow in return for a NATO bid. The reported exchange links a territorial concession with Ukraine’s potential membership in the military alliance.

The accounts describe the proposal as coming from US representatives during discussions focused on ending the conflict. They do not indicate whether Ukraine accepted the idea or whether the proposal has advanced beyond those discussions.