Zelensky Says US Raised Donbas Withdrawal for NATO Membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said U.S. negotiators raised for the first time whether Ukraine would withdraw from the Ukrainian-controlled part of Donbas in exchange for NATO membership, but stressed that no concrete offer had been made. Kyiv rejects surrendering territory and is discussing security guarantees with NATO and the EU, alongside support for Ukraine’s military and reconstruction. Zelenskyy said he would put any arrangement to Ukrainians in a referendum only if the guarantees and other terms were confirmed, saying he could not decide alone. The remarks followed U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, where the sides remained divided over territory and postwar security. Russian and Ukrainian authorities also reported overnight drone attacks and casualties.