Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated that Kyiv is prepared to drop its long-held ambition of joining NATO in exchange for Western security guarantees.
The Ukrainian leader’s suggestion came on Sunday as he headed to meetings with US envoys and European allies in the German capital, Berlin, admitting that some members of the military alliance are opposed to his country’s membership.
Russia responded on Monday, calling Ukraine’s non-NATO status a “cornerstone” in talks to end the war, which was triggered in February 2022 when Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour.
Zelenskyy’s meeting with US envoys on Sunday came amid pressure from President Donald Trump to reach a settlement. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Berlin for discussions involving Ukrainian and European representatives.
Media reports on Monday said the Ukrainian leader would resume the talks with US representatives before meeting European allies, who support Zelenskyy’s bid to remove measures from the US peace plan that are viewed as being based on Russian narratives, particularly regarding giving up territory in the east of Ukraine.
Significant compromise
In advance of the Sunday talks, Zelenskyy described the proposal as a concession by Kyiv, after years of pressing for NATO membership as the strongest deterrent against future Russian attacks. He said the United States, European partners and other allies could instead provide legally binding security guarantees.
“From the very beginning, Ukraine’s desire was to join NATO; these are real security guarantees. Some partners from the US and Europe did not support this direction,” Zelenskyy said in response to questions from reporters in a WhatsApp chat.
“Thus, today, bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the US, Article 5-like guarantees for us from the US, and security guarantees from European colleagues, as well as other countries – Canada, Japan – are an opportunity to prevent another Russian invasion,” he said.
“And it is already a compromise from our part,” Zelenskyy added, stressing that such guarantees must be legally binding.
The shift would mark a significant change for Ukraine, which has long sought NATO membership despite Moscow viewing the alliance’s expansion as a threat.
While the move aligns with one of Russia’s stated war objectives, Kyiv has continued to reject demands to cede territory.
Zelenskyy said he was seeking a “dignified” peace and firm assurances that Russia would not launch another attack, as diplomats gathered to discuss what could become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. He also accused Moscow of prolonging the war through sustained attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.
After Sunday’s talks, Witkoff said “a lot of progress was made”.
Zelenskyy’s adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said the president would comment on the talks on Monday once they were completed. Officials, Lytvyn said, were considering the draft documents.
“They went on for more than five hours and ended for today with an agreement to resume tomorrow morning,” Lytvyn told reporters in a WhatsApp chat.
Russia welcomed the suggestion that Ukraine could give up on its NATO ambitions.
“Naturally, this issue is one of the cornerstones, and it is subject to special discussion,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.
He added that Russia expects the US to “provide us with the concept that is being discussed in Berlin today” after the talks with Ukraine and its European allies.
Pressure to reach settlement
The decision to send Witkoff, who has previously led negotiations with Kyiv and Moscow, suggested Washington saw scope for progress.
Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said it was a “good sign” Trump had sent his envoys while fielding questions in an interview with the ZDF broadcaster on the suitability of Witkoff and Kushner, two businessmen, as negotiators.
“It’s certainly anything but an ideal setup for such negotiations. That much is clear. But as they say, you can only dance with the people on the dance floor,” Pistorius said.
On Kyiv’s offer to give up its NATO aspirations in exchange for security guarantees, Pistorius said Ukraine had a bitter experience of relying on security assurances. Kyiv had in 1994 agreed to give up its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal in exchange for territorial guarantees from the US, Russia and the United Kingdom.
“Therefore, it remains to be seen to what extent this statement Zelenskyy has now made will actually hold true, and what preconditions must be met,” Pistorius said.
“This concerns territorial issues, commitments from Russia and others,” he said, adding, mere security guarantees, especially without significant US involvement, “wouldn’t be worth much”.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine, Europe and the US were also reviewing a 20-point plan that could culminate in a ceasefire, though he reiterated that Kyiv was not holding direct talks with Russia. He said a truce along current front lines could be considered fair, while noting that Russia continues to demand a Ukrainian withdrawal from parts of Donetsk and Luhansk still under Kyiv’s control.
Fighting continues
Despite diplomatic efforts, Russian attacks have continued, leaving thousands without electricity in recent attacks. Ukrainian officials say Moscow is deliberately attacking the power grid to deprive civilians of heat and water during winter.
Fighting has also intensified in the Black Sea. Russian forces recently struck Ukrainian ports, damaging Turkish-owned vessels, including a ship carrying food supplies. An attack on Odesa set grain silos ablaze, according to Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba. Zelenskyy said the strikes “had no … military purpose whatsoever”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against further escalation, saying the Black Sea should not become an “area of confrontation”.
“Everyone needs safe navigation in the Black Sea,” Erdogan said, calling for a “limited ceasefire” covering ports and energy facilities. Turkiye controls the Bosphorus Strait, a vital route for Ukrainian grain and Russian oil exports.
