U.S. reportedly floated trading Ukrainian land for NATO membership

Zelenskyy told journalists on Friday that American negotiators had asked whether Ukraine would withdraw from the eastern Donbas region in exchange for membership in the military alliance. "The Americans raised a question: 'What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?' This was the first time this had been raised," the Ukrainian president said.

The Ukrainian president said he was discussing a "security package" for Ukraine which included security guarantees from NATO and the European Union, an "adequate number of troops, weapons" as well as financial support. Zelenskyy indicated he would seek Ukrainians' input on the potential exchange.

Donbas sticking point

Control over the Donbas region, much of which has been occupied by Russia since the start of the war, has been a recurring obstacle in negotiations to end the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously demanded that Ukraine pull its forces out of Donbas as a precondition for a peace agreement.

After staging elections dismissed internationally as a sham in occupied parts of Donbas, Putin declared in September 2022 that four eastern Ukrainian regions had been annexed by Russia. None of these annexations have been recognized by the U.S. or the United Nations, with most countries considering them illegal landgrabs.

Security guarantees

Zelenskyy said he told U.S. negotiators Ukraine would need security guarantees modeled on NATO's Article 5 as an absolute minimum. That article establishes a key principle for the alliance, where an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members.

The Ukrainian president added he was "not sure it would necessarily work" and said he needed more specific details on the potential membership terms.