Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a joint press convention with Turkey’s President following their assembly on the Presidential Complicated in Ankara on November 19, 2025.
Ozan Kose | AFP | Getty Pictures
Ukraine has relinquished its purpose to affix the NATO navy alliance in change for Western safety ensures as a compromise to finish the warfare with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Sunday as peace talks obtained underway in Berlin.
Zelenskyy aired the concession as he flew to the German capital, the place he started conferences with U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner in efforts to finish Europe’s bloodiest battle since World Struggle II.
The transfer marks a significant shift for Ukraine, which has fought to affix NATO as a safeguard in opposition to Russian assaults and has such an aspiration included in its structure. It additionally meets one among Russia’s warfare goals, though Kyiv has thus far held agency in opposition to ceding territory to Moscow.
Zelenskyy met the U.S. envoys at talks hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who, a supply stated, had made transient remarks earlier than leaving the 2 sides to barter. Different European leaders are additionally due in Germany for talks on Monday.
Safety ensures from america, Europe and different companions as a substitute of NATO membership represented a compromise on Ukraine’s aspect, Zelenskyy stated forward of Sunday’s discussions.
“From the very starting, Ukraine’s want was to affix NATO, these are actual safety ensures. Some companions from the US and Europe didn’t help this path,” he stated in reply to questions from reporters in a WhatsApp chat.
“Thus, at the moment, bilateral safety ensures between Ukraine and the US, Article 5-like ensures for us from the US, and safety ensures from European colleagues, in addition to different nations — Canada, Japan — are a possibility to stop one other Russian invasion,” Zelenskyy stated.
“And it’s already a compromise from our half,” he stated, including that the safety ensures needs to be legally binding.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine formally surrender its NATO ambitions and withdraw troops from about 10% of Donbas, which Kyiv nonetheless controls. Moscow has additionally stated that Ukraine have to be a impartial nation and that no NATO troops might be stationed in Ukraine.
Russian sources stated earlier this yr that Putin needs a “written” pledge by main Western powers to not enlarge the U.S.-led NATO alliance eastwards – shorthand for formally ruling out membership to Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and different former Soviet republics.
Zelenskyy had earlier referred to as for a “dignified” peace and ensures that Russia wouldn’t assault Ukraine once more.
Below stress from Trump to signal a peace deal that originally backed Moscow’s calls for, Zelenskyy accused Russia of dragging out the warfare by way of lethal bombings of cities and Ukraine’s energy and water provides.
Sending Witkoff, who has led negotiations with Ukraine and Russia on a U.S. peace proposal, appeared to sign that Washington noticed an opportunity for progress, practically 4 years after Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Zelenskyy stated Ukraine, the Europeans, and the U.S. are a 20-point plan, and that on the finish of this, there’s a ceasefire. He stated Kyiv has no direct talks with Russia.
A ceasefire alongside the present entrance strains can be a good choice, he added.
‘Essential second’
Britain, France and Germany have been working to refine the U.S. proposals, which in a draft disclosed final month referred to as for Kyiv to cede extra territory, abandon its NATO ambitions and settle for limits on its armed forces.
European allies have described this as a “essential second” that might form Ukraine’s future, and sought to shore up Kyiv’s funds by leveraging frozen Russian central financial institution property to fund Kyiv’s navy and civilian price range.
Putin hosted Witkoff and Kushner at a gathering earlier in December that the Kremlin praised as “constructive,” though no main breakthroughs had been reached.
Zelenskyy stated tons of of hundreds had been nonetheless with out energy after Russian strikes on vitality, heating and water provides throughout Ukraine,
“Russia is dragging out the warfare and seeks to inflict as a lot hurt as potential on our folks,” he stated.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine precipitated relations with the West to plummet and has cranked up warnings from NATO and European leaders that Putin wouldn’t cease there.
NATO Secretary Common Mark Rutte stated in a speech in Berlin on Thursday that NATO needs to be “ready for the size of warfare our grandparents or great-grandparents endured” and asserted that “we’re Russia’s subsequent goal”.
The Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed such claims.
“This looks like an announcement by a consultant of a technology that has managed to overlook what World Struggle Two was really like,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised state tv reporter Pavel Zarubin on Sunday.
“They don’t have any understanding, and sadly, Mr. Rutte, making such irresponsible statements, merely doesn’t perceive what he’s speaking about,” Peskov added.
