Zelenskyy backs NATO compromise, seeks binding security guarantees

In Berlin for high-stakes talks with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv could drop its bid to join NATO in return for a set of security guarantees from Western partners. He framed these guarantees as a way to prevent another wave of Russian aggression and stressed they must be legally binding and backed by the U.S. Congress.

Zelenskyy noted that since the U.S. and some European nations had rejected Ukraine's NATO bid, Kyiv expects the West to offer guarantees similar to those extended to alliance members. This compromise would represent a meaningful shift, even as it falls short of full NATO membership, to secure a robust, enforceable framework for deterrence and crisis management.

He planned to meet separately with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders later in the evening, underscoring the multilateral nature of the negotiations. Washington has been maneuvering to balance Kyiv's demands with those of allied capitals, as patience runs thin over how to resolve Russia's war without triggering new rounds of escalation. A key point remains Russia's demands for Ukraine to withdraw from areas it still holds in eastern Donetsk, a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

The talks come amid broader efforts to end the war, with Kyiv hoping for a security architecture that would deter future aggression even if NATO membership remains on ice for now. Zelenskyy said he expected updates after a meeting between Ukrainian and U.S. military officials in Stuttgart, and he indicated the discussions could shape the next phase of peace efforts if the guarantees are credible, enforceable, and backed by Congress.

Cover image source: Zelenskyy arrives in Berlin for high-stakes talks with U.S. envoys, Europeans; says will seek support to freeze front line 🔗

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