US proposes Ukraine cede Donbas for NATO membership, Zelensky says

The United States has proposed that Ukraine cede the Donbas region to Russia in exchange for NATO membership, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The proposal was reportedly raised during recent diplomatic negotiations. Zelensky said he would present a concrete plan combining NATO accession, binding security guarantees, and reconstruction funding to the Ukrainian public. Kyiv has previously insisted it will not cede territory, while the Kremlin confirmed upcoming trilateral talks involving Putin, Trump, and Xi Jinping. The White House indicated progress toward a major prisoner exchange, and European leaders including Macron emphasized pursuing a just peace. Meanwhile, scheduled power outages will affect Ukrainian regions due to Russian attacks on the energy grid.