Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday signalled a major diplomatic concession, saying Kyiv is prepared to drop its long-standing bid to join NATO in exchange for strong Western security guarantees, but firmly rejected any proposal that would require Ukraine to cede territory to Russia.
Zelenskyy made the remarks as he held talks with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, as part of Washington’s renewed push to bring an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president later shared photographs of the meeting table, showing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz seated next to him and facing the US delegation.
Security Guarantees in Place of NATO Membership
Responding to journalists’ questions via audio messages in a WhatsApp group chat before the talks, Zelenskyy said that since the United States and several European countries have opposed Ukraine’s immediate NATO membership, Kyiv expects alternative guarantees equivalent to NATO protections.
“These security guarantees are an opportunity to prevent another wave of Russian aggression,” Zelenskyy said. “And this is already a compromise on our part.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly portrayed Ukraine’s NATO ambitions as a direct threat to Russia’s security and cited them as justification for launching the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Moscow has insisted that Ukraine formally renounce NATO membership as a condition for any peace agreement.
Zelenskyy stressed that any security guarantees must be legally binding and backed by the US Congress, adding that he expected an update from his team after talks between Ukrainian and American military officials in Stuttgart, Germany.
Territorial Disputes Remain Major Obstacle
Despite his willingness to compromise on NATO, Zelenskyy ruled out territorial concessions, pushing back against US ideas aimed at breaking the deadlock.
Washington has been attempting for months to balance the demands of both Kyiv and Moscow, as Trump presses for a swift end to the war and grows increasingly frustrated by stalled negotiations.
One of the biggest sticking points remains Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, much of which is under Russian occupation. Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from the remaining areas of Donetsk still under Kyiv’s control — a condition Ukraine has rejected.
Zelenskyy revealed that the US floated a proposal for Ukraine to withdraw from parts of Donetsk and establish a demilitarised free economic zone in the region, an idea he dismissed as unworkable.
“I do not consider this fair,” he said. “Who will manage this economic zone?”
He questioned why Ukrainian troops should pull back without a corresponding Russian withdrawal.
“If Ukrainian troops withdraw 5–10 kilometres, then why do Russian troops not withdraw deeper into the occupied territories by the same distance?” Zelenskyy asked.
Calling the issue “very sensitive,” Zelenskyy said a freeze along the current line of contact was the most realistic option.
“Today a fair possible option is: we stand where we stand,” he said.
Russia Signals Resistance to Compromise
Russian Foreign Affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told business daily Kommersant that Russian police and national guard forces would remain in parts of Donetsk even if they were declared demilitarised under a future peace plan.
Ushakov warned that negotiations could take a long time, arguing that US proposals accommodating Russian demands had been “worsened” by changes suggested by Ukraine and its European allies.
Speaking to Russian state television on Sunday, he said Moscow expected to raise “very strong objections,” adding that “the contribution of Ukrainians and Europeans to these documents is unlikely to be constructive.”
Ushakov confirmed that territorial issues were discussed during earlier talks in Moscow when Witkoff and Kushner met Putin earlier this month.
“The Americans know and understand our position,” he said.
European Leaders Reaffirm Support for Ukraine
Ahead of the talks, Zelenskyy said he spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron, thanking him for continued support and stressing close coordination with European partners.
“We are coordinating closely and working together for the sake of our shared security,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Macron responded by reaffirming France’s commitment to Ukraine.
“France is, and will remain, at Ukraine’s side to build a robust and lasting peace — one that can guarantee Ukraine’s security and sovereignty, and that of Europe, over the long term,” he said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a key figure in Europe’s support for Ukraine alongside Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, warned that Europe could no longer rely on decades of American security dominance.
“The decades of the ‘Pax Americana’ are largely over for us in Europe,” Merz said.
He warned that Putin’s goal was a fundamental redrawing of Europe’s borders.
“If Ukraine falls, he won’t stop,” Merz cautioned.
Putin has denied any intention to restore the Soviet Union or attack NATO countries.
Continued Attacks Despite Diplomatic Efforts
Even as talks continue, fighting on the ground has intensified.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched ballistic missiles and 138 attack drones overnight, intercepting or downing 110 of them. However, strikes were recorded at six locations.
Zelenskyy said hundreds of thousands of families across southern, eastern and northeastern Ukraine remained without power following a major overnight attack, with crews working to restore electricity, heating and water supplies.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia has launched over 1,500 strike drones, nearly 900 guided bombs and 46 missiles in the past week alone.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defences destroyed 235 Ukrainian drones over the weekend.
In Russia’s Belgorod region, a drone injured a man and set a house on fire, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Ukrainian drones also struck an oil depot in Volgograd’s Uryupinsk, triggering a blaze, according to regional authorities.
In the Krasnodar region, drones targeted the town of Afipsky, home to an oil refinery. Officials said residential windows were shattered, but no damage to the refinery was reported.