US suggests Ukraine trading Donbas for Nato membership, Zelensky reveals

US negotiators have raised the possibility of Ukraine withdrawing its remaining troops from the eastern Donbas region in exchange for Nato membership, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Recent Talks

Zelensky shared these details with reporters on Saturday following a meeting with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in Dublin. The American officials travelled to the Irish capital after holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Terms and Referendums

Kyiv has long pushed for Nato membership to deter future attacks, while Russia opposes having another alliance member on its border. Zelensky stated that if he gets a proposal offering security guarantees, no limits on the Ukrainian military, and money to rebuild the nation, he would put the decision to a referendum.

Conditions and Stances

Moscow has previously demanded territorial concessions, neutrality, and limits on the size of Ukraine's military. Ukraine has rejected these terms, arguing they would weaken its ability to stop future invasions. Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including most of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up the Donbas. Giving up the remaining land Ukraine still controls there would mean accepting Russian control over the area.

Context

Nato is a military alliance of North American and European nations that treats an attack on one member as an attack on all. Territorial disputes and demands for military neutrality are major stumbling blocks in international peace negotiations during ongoing conflicts.