Zelensky says US traded Donbas for NATO guarantee
The Ukrainian president says the proposal was put forward during talks on a possible peace deal.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says US negotiators proposed that Ukraine give up its claims to the Donbas in exchange for a security guarantee resembling NATO membership. There is no public agreement on the proposal.
Zelensky is describing a proposal for a possible peace deal. According to him, Ukraine would have to surrender territory it still controls, in return for a guarantee that would not necessarily be the same as the formal NATO treaty.
The issue is sensitive because the Donbas, particularly parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, is central to Russia’s war against Ukraine. Russia is demanding territorial concessions; Ukraine says it cannot give up territory without reliable security guarantees.
Sky News reported that Zelensky mentioned future NATO membership as a possible guarantee. The British government meanwhile confirmed that it continues to support Ukraine’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, but that is not confirmation of a US trade-off proposal.
The talks follow discussions between Ukrainian, US and Russian delegations. According to AP, European leaders are concerned that decisions about European security are being taken without Europe.
There is no public agreement and no independently published text of the US proposal. It is therefore impossible to establish exactly which areas, guarantees or conditions were discussed. The statement does make clear that territory and the future security order are at the heart of the negotiations.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Zelensky has publicly said that such a US option was discussed.
- There is no public agreement or fully published proposal.
- The negotiations concern territory and security guarantees.
Left
Arguments Sees territorial concessions as a risky reward for aggression and emphasises that Ukrainians themselves should decide over their territory.
Values International law, self-determination and the protection of civilians.
Consequences Fears an unstable peace and renewed Russian pressure if guarantees cannot be enforced.
Centre
Arguments Emphasises that a workable agreement requires security guarantees, Ukrainian consent and European involvement.
Values Diplomacy, international institutions and feasibility.
Consequences Wants room for negotiations without imposing a solution in advance.
Right
Arguments Emphasises that ending the war may also require difficult territorial choices and that European countries must take greater responsibility.
Values National security, deterrence and realism.
Consequences Fears that an endless war without compromise will result in more victims and greater security risks.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text attributes the proposed trade-off to Zelensky and makes clear that its content has not been independently confirmed. The British statement of support is not used as evidence for the US proposal.
- confirmed Zelensky says the US linked territory in the Donbas to a security guarantee. — Sky News and several public reports describe Zelensky’s statement. source
- confirmed There is no public agreement on the proposal. — The sources consulted do not publish an agreement text. source
- confirmed Europe fears being excluded from the security talks. — AP describes the concerns of European leaders. source
Editor's note
The claim about the US proposal comes from Zelensky and has not been confirmed by a public US document.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „oekraïne donbas”
- RTL Nieuws — „oekraïne donbas”
- NOS — „oekraïne donbas”