Zelenskyy says US floated Donbas-for-NATO deal

US negotiators proposed Ukraine potentially ceding the Donbas region in exchange for NATO membership, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking the first time territorial concessions were linked to alliance entry during talks. Zelenskyy said Kyiv is not ready to concede territory, but he would put any comprehensive package—including security guarantees, a strong army, and reconstruction funds—to a national referendum. He dismissed Russia's calls for broader security agreements before ending the war, stating "This war must be ended first." The US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi concluded without a major breakthrough, though sides agreed to a prisoner exchange involving over 1,000 people. Zelenskyy also rejected Putin's proposed ceasefire in Kostiantynivka, saying Russia prefers targeting frontline settlements where civilians remain trapped.