Zelensky Says US Floated Donbas Cession for NATO Membership as Russia Holds About 20% of Ukraine
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Nov 14
Zelensky Says US Floated Donbas Cession for NATO Membership as Russia Holds About 20% of Ukraine
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Nov 14
Summary
Zelensky said US negotiators recently raised, for the first time, whether Ukraine would withdraw from the parts of Donbas it still holds in exchange for NATO membership.
He said he would put any deal to a referendum if it included security guarantees, no limits on Ukraine's military and funding to rebuild the country.
The proposal surfaced after US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Putin in Moscow and then saw Zelensky in Dublin, part of a renewed push to end the war.
Kyiv has long rejected territorial concessions and neutrality, while Moscow still demands both; Russia occupies roughly a fifth of Ukraine, including most of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Zelensky said the idea suggested NATO was "back on the agenda," but warned Putin's signals showed any such bargain would be extremely difficult.
Could trading the Donbas for NATO membership finally end the war, or will it trigger a massive backlash in Ukraine?
If Ukraine holds a referendum, would citizens truly vote to surrender their fortified eastern territories for a NATO guarantee?
With a controversial land-for-security deal on the table, will European allies support a plan that reshapes the continent's borders?
The 2026 US Land-for-NATO Proposal: Ukraine’s Donbas Decision and the Geopolitical Stakes for Europe
Overview
In November 2026, after US-brokered talks, the US proposed that Ukraine withdraw its forces from Donbas in exchange for NATO membership, aiming to ease global tensions and fuel prices. This shift followed US policy changes that strained Ukraine’s military and economy. President Zelenskyy said any deal would require strong NATO and EU guarantees and must be approved by a national referendum, but legal and logistical barriers make such a vote nearly impossible. Meanwhile, Russia rejected ceasefires and demanded NATO rollbacks, while European allies insisted on being included in security talks. Without binding guarantees, experts warn any land-for-security deal risks a fragile, unstable peace.