US floated idea of Ukraine swapping land for NATO membership, Zelensky says

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The United States floated the idea of Ukraine ceding the eastern Donbas region to Russia in exchange for NATO membership during recent talks, Ukraine's President Volodymyr…

The United States floated the idea of Ukraine ceding the eastern Donbas region to Russia in exchange for NATO membership during recent talks, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Zelensky told journalists on Friday that US negotiators had put the question and that it was the "first time" such a proposal had been raised.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has long coveted the region, while he has cited possible NATO membership for Ukraine as a reason for launching his full-scale invasion in 2022.

Much of the Donbas is controlled by Russia, although Moscow's grinding ground offensive in the region has largely stalled.

"The Americans raised a question: 'What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?' This was the first time this had been raised," Zelensky said.

He stressed that Ukraine would not give up territory but said if he received a "comprehensive security package" - which would include a strong Ukrainian army and guarantees from NATO and the European Union - he would put a proposal to the public.

US-brokered peace talks between Ukraine and Russia took place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and Wednesday. The trilateral discussions were mediated by Trump administration envoys - US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff - and marked the first talks involving both parties in months, although they ended without a breakthrough.

Also in his comments to journalists on Friday, Zelensky questioned whether Elon Musk's SpaceX was being honest about ongoing restrictions on Ukraine's use of its Starshield system.

According to Zelensky, restrictions persist along the front line and in Russian-occupied territories, impacting the operation of Ukrainian drones.

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