On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Reuters‑quoted journalists that Ukraine is ready to abandon its NATO membership hopes, describing the step as a necessary compromise.
Zelensky on NATO Membership
“From the very beginning, Ukraine has wanted NATO membership; those are real security guarantees,” Zelensky said. He added that some partners in the US and Europe had not supported this direction. The president highlighted bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the US—akin to Article 5 for Ukraine—as well as guarantees from European allies and other countries such as Canada and Japan as a way to prevent further Russian invasions. “That is already a compromise from our side,” he concluded.
Berlin Peace Talks Continue
Zelensky held discussions on a peace plan with American officials on Sunday, with talks set to continue on Monday. German, French and British leaders are also expected to join the negotiations. The Ukrainian president stressed that the peace plan will require compromises and that all agreed‑upon steps must work in practice to ensure guaranteed security.
Putin Consistently Opposes NATO Membership
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Russia’s long‑standing opposition to Ukraine’s accession to NATO. He said he agrees with those who believe every country has the right to choose its own security system, yet emphasized that one country’s security cannot be built at the expense of another, specifically the Russian Federation. Putin noted that Russia has always opposed Ukraine’s NATO membership while never questioning Ukraine’s right to conduct economic and business activities on its own terms, including joining the EU.
