United States proposes NATO membership for Ukraine conditional on Donbas withdrawal

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on November 15, 2026, that he does not have the authority to decide on a United States proposal regarding NATO membership unilaterally. The proposal suggests admitting Ukraine to NATO if Ukrainian forces withdraw from parts of the Donbas that they currently control. This development occurred during trilateral negotiations held in Abu Dhabi.

Details of the NATO proposal

The United States has proposed the possibility of admitting Ukraine to NATO for the first time. This proposal is linked to the condition that Ukrainian forces must withdraw from specific parts of the Donbas region. President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that accepting such a deal would not imply official recognition of Russian sovereignty over occupied territories, although he suggested the arrangement might be accepted de facto.

President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that he would consult the Ukrainian public via a referendum if the United States and NATO provide concrete details regarding the proposal. The President emphasized that he cannot make such a decision at his own discretion and must seek the opinion of the Ukrainian society.

Diplomatic meetings and context

The proposal follows a meeting held in Dublin on November 13, 2026, between President Volodymyr Zelensky and United States envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. According to reports from vilaweb.cat, the United States envoys met with Russian President Vladimir Putin the day before the Dublin meeting. This meeting took place as Ukraine continues to negotiate a comprehensive security package.

The security package currently under negotiation includes specific NATO and European Union security guarantees, military personnel, weapons, financial support, and the Prosperity Plan. These negotiations aim to establish long-term stability for the region.

Russian demands and security status

The United States proposal comes amid conflicting demands from Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine maintains a neutral status and limits its military capacity. Furthermore, Russia requires that Ukraine renounces certain territories as a condition for reaching a peace agreement.

While the United States has introduced the possibility of NATO membership, the ongoing negotiations involve complex layers of military and financial assistance. The Ukrainian government continues to seek formal guarantees to protect its sovereignty while addressing the specific territorial conditions proposed by the United States.

Glossary

• NATO — NATO is an organization that includes a desk at the Department of State. It involves political officers who work on the Nuclear Planning Group and the Non Proliferation Treaty.
• Donbas — The Donbas is a region where demonstrations by pro-Russian and anti-government groups took place. It is a location within Ukraine.
• European Union — The European Union (EU) is a group of countries where citizens can travel and stay in other EU and EFTA member countries without a visa.