Source NDTV World
The United States has reportedly raised a major proposal that could change the future of the Russia-Ukraine war. The idea involves Ukraine withdrawing its remaining forces from the eastern Donbas region in exchange for becoming a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed the proposal after the latest round of peace discussions involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi. However, he made it clear that Ukraine’s future cannot be decided without the consent of its people.
US Raises a New Proposal During Peace Talks
According to Zelensky, American negotiators raised the possibility of linking Ukraine’s NATO membership with its withdrawal from Donbas.
He said this was the first time such an idea had been directly discussed during the ongoing negotiations.
The proposal comes as Washington continues efforts to find a way to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Donbas, which includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, has remained one of the most important and disputed areas in the conflict. Russia controls large parts of the region but has not captured all the territory.
Zelensky Says Ukraine Will Not Give Up Its Land Easily
Zelensky repeated that Ukraine is not ready to surrender its territory to Russia. He also stressed that any major decision involving the country’s borders must reflect the wishes of its citizens.
However, the Ukrainian president indicated that he could take a complete peace and security proposal to the public through a national referendum.
Such a proposal would need to include strong security guarantees from NATO and the European Union, continued military support, enough funding to maintain Ukraine’s armed forces and financial assistance to rebuild the country.
Zelensky said he did not have the right to make such an important decision on his own.
He also made clear that any possible agreement would not mean officially recognising Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia.
Russia’s Opposition to NATO Membership
Ukraine’s possible entry into NATO has been a major point of disagreement between Moscow and Western countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly opposed NATO’s expansion towards Russia’s borders. Moscow has also demanded major territorial and political concessions from Kyiv as part of any future peace agreement.
For Ukraine, NATO membership has long been seen as an important way to protect itself against another Russian attack.
The latest US proposal therefore presents a difficult choice for Kyiv: securing long-term military protection while facing pressure over territory.
Abu Dhabi Talks End Without Major Breakthrough
The latest US-brokered discussions between Russia and Ukraine took place in Abu Dhabi over two days. Although the meetings did not produce a major breakthrough, both sides made progress on a possible prisoner exchange involving more than 1,000 people.
The discussions also covered other important issues, including a possible energy ceasefire and the future of security arrangements in Europe.
However, Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin did not appear to support an energy ceasefire.
European representatives also held discussions with American and Ukrainian officials, although they did not take part directly in the talks with Russia.
Ukraine Faces a Difficult Decision
The proposed Donbas-for-NATO arrangement could become one of the most sensitive issues in future peace negotiations.
For Ukraine, the challenge is to find a way to end the war without losing its independence or weakening its ability to defend itself.
Zelensky has made it clear that any final agreement must provide real security and receive public support.
For now, the proposal remains under discussion, and several important details are still unclear. Whether Washington, Moscow and Kyiv can agree on a common path towards peace remains uncertain.
