Zelensky rejects Donbas withdrawal plan, warns US proposal could empower Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected US proposals to withdraw from parts of the Donbas region in exchange for NATO membership, warning that broader European security discussions could empower Russia to weaken the alliance and redraw borders. Zelensky said Washington raised the Donbas concession idea for the first time but reiterated Kyiv will not surrender territory or recognize occupied areas as Russian. He also rejected Ukrainian neutrality, saying it would require constitutional changes, and insisted European NATO members must decide continental security arrangements only after the war ends. Ukraine's negotiation priorities include an energy ceasefire, reopening the Black Sea, and prisoner exchanges, with a deal involving over 1,000 people per side agreed. Zelensky also accused SpaceX of restricting Starshield satellite speeds in occupied areas, hampering drone interception efforts.