EditZelenskyy: US raised Donbas withdrawal for NATO membership; issue returns to talks
Moscow’s demands for neutrality and a NATO rollback leave the floated idea with little prospect of success
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said U.S. negotiators have for the first time asked whether Kyiv would withdraw its forces from the parts of Donbas it still controls in exchange for Ukraine joining NATO. He described the idea as evidence that NATO membership has returned to the negotiating agenda, while stressing that no concrete proposal exists yet and that Ukraine will not cede territory.
Speaking to journalists on 13 November (remarks published the following day), Zelenskyy stated: “The Americans raised a question: ‘What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?’ This was the first time.” He repeated his long-standing position that “Ukraine does not retreat and does not give its lands to terrorists.”
He said Kyiv is discussing a comprehensive security package with partners that would include concrete guarantees from NATO and the EU, sustained support for a strong Ukrainian army (defined troop numbers, weapons and financing for a set period), and a Prosperity Plan for reconstruction backed by clear funding sources. “If the American side confirms this to us together with our other NATO colleagues, then I will ask the opinion of our society: do we accept it or not? I have no right to do this at my own discretion,” Zelenskyy said. He added that any arrangement would not involve recognising occupied territories as Russian and that specifics are still lacking.
Zelenskyy also noted that European partners, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Denmark and Nordic countries, argue that Ukraine’s battle-hardened forces would significantly strengthen the Alliance. “They cannot simply let Ukraine go after such defence support, the development of our army and the strength of our defence. And they need Ukraine in NATO because then the Alliance will become many times stronger,” he said, concluding that “NATO is back on the agenda.”
The comments follow trilateral talks involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia in Abu Dhabi on 10–11 November, mediated by the U.S. Ukrainian officials described the format as constructive on humanitarian issues and security guarantees, while Russian representatives said discussions focused on Europe’s future security architecture. US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff also met Zelenskyy in Dublin around the same time.
Russia’s official position has remained consistent and maximalist. Moscow has repeatedly rejected Ukrainian NATO membership as a “red line,” demanded a demilitarised or neutral status for Ukraine, and called for NATO forces to return to the Alliance’s 1997 borders (i.e., before the post-Cold War enlargements that brought in former Warsaw Pact countries and the Baltic states). These demands have featured in Russian statements throughout the full-scale invasion and the latest rounds of diplomacy.
International outlets including Reuters and the BBC confirmed Zelenskyy’s account of the U.S. question linking a Donbas withdrawal to potential NATO membership. Kyiv continues to insist that any settlement must rest on robust, lasting security guarantees rather than neutrality, which Zelenskyy has said would require changing Ukraine’s constitution.
This article draws on coverage by EUalive’s partners Suspilne and European Pravda
Caption: Zelenskyy speaks to the press on 13 November 2026 [Suspilne]
Updated: November 14, 2026 - 18:54
