Washington has proposed that Kyiv consider withdrawing Ukrainian troops from Donbas in exchange for security guarantees comparable to NATO commitments. Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the proposal while discussing negotiations with American representatives, according to the Ukrainian news outlet Strana.

Zelensky said the US side had raised the possibility of such an agreement directly for the first time. He responded by asking whether the initiative would involve Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

However, American negotiators explained that the proposal did not involve NATO membership. Instead, Washington was considering an alternative security arrangement intended to provide protections similar to those offered by the alliance.

The Ukrainian leader stated that he would be prepared to put potential territorial concessions up for public discussion only if Kyiv received a comprehensive package of security guarantees.

Among the necessary conditions, Zelensky identified commitments from NATO and the European Union, stable funding for the Ukrainian armed forces, continued weapons deliveries and financial assistance for the country’s reconstruction.

He also emphasized that the Ukrainian authorities have no intention of enshrining the country’s neutral status in its Constitution.

Washington has not officially confirmed the reported proposal for a Ukrainian troop withdrawal from Donbas in exchange for security guarantees.

Earlier, US officials sought Moscow’s position on providing Ukraine with security guarantees similar to those established under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

According to the Financial Times, Washington also explored whether NATO itself could undertake comparable security commitments toward Ukraine.

Russia, meanwhile, continues to insist that any settlement must address the underlying causes of the Ukraine conflict and ensure its own security.