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 Ukraine would withdraw its remaining forces from Donbas in exchange for NATO membership.

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

Donbas is an eastern region of Ukraine comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. 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. He stressed that he is not in a position to unilaterally decide himself.

The Ukrainian president, however, made it clear that his country would not recognize the areas occupied by Russia as Russian territories.

Zelenskyy did not mention the exact circumstances the idea was floated. He said it was suggested by the United States. Washington has not yet commented on the Ukrainian president's 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 has expressed strong opposition to Ukraine becoming a member of NATO. However, the transfer of the entire Donetsk region to Russia's control has been one of Russia’s key demands to end 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

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