Zelensky says US ties NATO membership to Donbas withdrawal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the US presented a path to NATO membership for the first time, but at the cost of ceding the Donbas region to Russia. He did not confirm acceptance, and Washington has not officially proposed the plan. Zelensky stated Ukraine will not surrender its lands, though he would consult Ukrainian society if such a formal proposal emerged. Public polls show most Ukrainians oppose territorial concessions, and Russia has not endorsed the plan, which also lacks official US confirmation. The US publicly rejects Ukraine's NATO accession, and Zelensky views security guarantees modeled on Middle East arrangements as more realistic. Meanwhile, Russia demanded NATO withdraw to 1997 lines during Abu Dhabi talks, and European representatives will join future negotiations without a set date.