Ukraine has abandoned its ambition to join NATO in exchange for Western security guarantees as a compromise to end the war with Russia. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky before talks with US envoys in Berlin, reports "Reuters".
The move marks a major change for Ukraine, which has been fighting to join the alliance as a safeguard against Russian attacks and has such an aspiration enshrined in its constitution. It also meets one of Russia's military goals, although Kiev has so far staunchly opposed the cession of territory to Moscow.
Zelensky said that security guarantees from the United States, Europe and other partners, instead of NATO membership, are a compromise on Ukraine's part.
"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," he noted.
"Thus, today bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the US, security guarantees similar to Article 5 for us from the US, and security guarantees from European colleagues, as well as from other countries - Canada, Japan - are an opportunity to prevent a new Russian invasion," Zelensky pointed out.
"And this is already a compromise on our part," he emphasized, adding that security guarantees should be legally binding.
Earlier, Zelensky called for "decent" peace and assurances that Russia would not attack Ukraine again as he prepared to meet with U.S. envoys and European allies in Berlin to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
Under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to sign a peace deal that initially backed Moscow's demands, Zelensky accused Russia of prolonging the war by deadly bombing of cities and cutting off Ukraine's electricity and water supplies.
While the exact makeup of the meetings today and tomorrow has not been made public, a U.S. official said Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner were traveling to Germany for talks involving Ukrainians and Europeans.
The decision to send Witkoff, who has been leading negotiations with Ukraine and Russia on a U.S. peace proposal, appears to be a signal that Washington sees a chance for progress nearly four years after Russia's 2022 invasion. d.
Zelensky said that Ukraine, the Europeans and the United States are considering a 20-point plan and that at the end of this plan there is a ceasefire. He pointed out that Kiev has no direct negotiations with Russia.
Zelensky noted that a ceasefire along the current front lines would be a fair option. Russia has demanded that Kiev withdraw its troops from parts of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions that Ukraine still holds.
"Ukraine needs peace on decent terms and we are ready to work as constructively as possible. The coming days will be filled with diplomacy. "It is extremely important that it delivers results," Zelensky stressed.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is hosting a summit between Zelensky and European leaders in the German capital on Tuesday, the latest in a series of public displays of support for the Ukrainian leader from allies across Europe.
Britain, France and Germany are working to refine US proposals, which in a draft unveiled last month call for Kiev to cede more territory, abandon its ambition to join NATO and accept limits on its armed forces.
European allies have described it as a "critical moment" that could shape Ukraine's future and have sought to shore up Kiev's finances by using frozen Russian central bank assets to finance Kiev's military and civilian budgets.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Witkoff and Kushner for a meeting earlier in December that the Kremlin described as "constructive", although no major breakthroughs were achieved.
Zelensky said hundreds of thousands were still without power after Russian strikes on energy, heating and water supply systems across Ukraine and posted photos of burning and destroyed buildings.
"Russia is dragging out the war and seeking to inflict as much harm as possible on our people," he said.
"In total, the Russians have launched over 1,500 combat drones, nearly 900 guided bombs and 46 missiles of various types against Ukraine this week," Zelensky added.