Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy: US Floated Trading Donbas For NATO Membership

14 Nov 2026, 13:07 by Daud Khattak and , RFE/RL's Russian Service · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · Join

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said US negotiators asked for the first time whether Kyiv would withdraw its remaining forces from the Donbas in exchange for NATO membership.

"The Americans asked: Will Ukraine leave Donbas if [Ukraine] joins NATO?" Zelenskyy told reporters on November 13.

He added that his country fundamentally opposes giving up its territories but would consider putting a comprehensive security package to the Ukrainian public if the US and other NATO partners confirm concrete guarantees.

The Donbas is a key eastern region of Ukraine comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Russia has occupied large parts of it since 2014 and formally claimed to annex both regions in 2022 following its full-scale invasion.

Explaining his response to the proposal, Zelenskyy said he would tell the Ukrainian people the pros and cons of such a potential arrangement. "But we need specifics, which are not yet available, and all this is under discussion," he added.

The Ukrainian president stressed that he is not in a position to unilaterally decide himself. However, he made clear Kyiv would not formally recognize any part of Ukraine as belonging to Russia.

Zelenskyy did not mention the exact circumstances the idea was floated, but said it was suggested by the United States. Washington has not yet commented on his claim.

Previously, US officials had said that Ukrainian NATO membership was off the table but noted that the country could receive security guarantees comparable to the membership in the alliance.

Russia says NATO membership for Ukraine is unacceptable and has said a peace deal should include a bar on Ukraine ever joining the alliance. It has also repeatedly threatened to target Western troops if they were deployed to the country.

The transfer of the entire Donetsk region to Russian control, however, has been one of the Kremlin's key demands for ending the war.

Zelenskyy's statement comes after the conclusion of trilateral talks between US, Russian, and Ukrainian representatives in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11.

Following the talks, US President Donald Trump's diplomatic envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, met separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy.

The latest round of talks produced no breakthrough in efforts to end the war, now approaching its fifth year. Both sides confirmed only that they would begin preparations for a large-scale prisoner exchange.

Zelenskyy: US Floated Trading Donbas For NATO Membership

This item is part of