Zelensky says US proposes Ukraine to withdraw from Donbas in exchange for NATO membership

KIEV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States has suggested that Ukraine could be offered membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in exchange for withdrawing from the Donbas, according to media reports.

"The Americans raised the question: 'If Ukraine joins NATO, would it withdraw from the Donbas?' This was the first time such a question had been raised," Zelensky told reporters in remarks released by his office on Saturday.

He said Ukraine was discussing a comprehensive security package with its partners that could be offered during peace negotiations.

The package includes specific security guarantees from NATO and the European Union, a strong army with a sufficient number of personnel and weapons, financial support for a specified period and a recovery plan backed by funding from clearly defined sources, Zelensky added.

Trilateral talks involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine just ended on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, with no agreement announced on a ceasefire, territorial disputes or long-term security guarantees.

US envoy Jared Kushner said in a social media post earlier this week that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to expand the next round to include European partners. He said this would allow discussions on broader post-war European security arrangements alongside territorial issues.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Russian President Vladimir Putin had urged European countries to decide whether they wanted peace or the war to continue.

Ushakov said Russia was ready to discuss a new European security architecture, reiterating Moscow's long-standing demands for an end to NATO enlargement and restrictions on military deployments near Russian borders.