US negotiators have proposed that Ukraine cede the eastern Donbas region to Russia in exchange for NATO membership. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the proposal following the latest round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi, noting that it is the first time Washington has asked if Kyiv would be willing to give up land for the bid.
President Zelenskyy rejected the possibility of Ukraine committing to neutrality and stated that Kyiv is not willing to retreat from its territory. He warned that the Kremlin's bid to change the continent's security architecture could lead to more wars.
However, the Ukrainian president said he would put the question to a national referendum if a comprehensive package were offered. Such a package would need to include security guarantees, the right to a well-funded army, and funds to rebuild, as Zelenskyy stated he has no right to make that decision on his own.
Meanwhile, President Putin has indicated that Russia will not back down on territorial demands and has rejected the idea of deploying foreign peacekeeping troops in Ukraine. President Zelenskyy added that Russia is betting everything on its winter campaign in the war.