Ukraine has indicated it may offer concessions to advance peace talks, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying Kyiv could drop its NATO membership bid if the U.S. and European partners provide security guarantees. He also proposed a referendum to let voters decide on transferring territory to Moscow, a move reportedly welcomed by some U.S. officials. The Wall Street Journal reported Zelenskyy has adjusted a U.S.-backed peace plan to make it acceptable to Kyiv while minimizing political fallout.
Zelenskyy Signals Readiness To Trade NATO Bid For Security Guarantees, Proposes Referendum To Advance Peace Talks
Ukraine indicated it may offer significant concessions to Russia as part of an effort to jump-start stalled peace negotiations. Ahead of a meeting in Berlin with senior U.S. negotiators, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv could abandon its demand for NATO membership if the United States and European partners provided robust security guarantees.
Key Proposals
Security Guarantees Instead Of NATO: Zelenskyy suggested that formal security assurances from the U.S. and European countries could replace an explicit NATO membership aspiration, a major shift in Kyiv’s long-standing position.
Referendum On Territory: He also floated the idea of letting Ukrainian voters decide in a referendum whether to transfer disputed territory to Moscow — an option U.S. officials reportedly view as a potentially pragmatic way to resolve territorial disputes without preemptive concessions from Kyiv.
Reported Context: The Wall Street Journal wrote that Zelenskyy has effectively revised a U.S.-backed peace blueprint to make it acceptable to Kyiv while avoiding a public rejection that might alienate U.S. leadership.
Why This Matters
Moving away from a NATO membership demand would represent a significant diplomatic concession and could alter the strategic balance in negotiations. Proposing a referendum transfers the difficult political choice to the Ukrainian electorate but raises complex legal, ethical and security questions, especially in areas affected by conflict.
All of the elements above have been described in reporting as proposals or ideas rather than finalized policy. Discussions were described as preliminary and framed as part of efforts to find a mutually acceptable path toward peace.
