Zelenskyy Open to Dropping NATO Bid as Peace Talks Continue in Berlin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is willing to drop efforts to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if the United States and European allies offer “security guarantees” in order to end the war.

“Thus, today, bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the US, Article 5-like guarantees for us from the US, and security guarantees from European colleagues, as well as other countries — Canada, Japan — are an opportunity to prevent another Russian invasion,” Zelenskyy said in a WhatsApp chat with reporters on Dec. 14.

Zelenskyy insisted that the “compromise” must be legally binding and supported by the U.S. Congress in order to bring an end to the years-long conflict.

The Ukrainian leader’s comments to journalists came ahead of his meeting in Berlin with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner that lasted five hours on Sunday.

“A lot of progress” was made during their discussions about a 20-point plan for peace and economic agendas, Witkoff shared on X after the meeting.

Zelenskyy attended a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday night and is planning to reconvene discussion with Witkoff and Kushner on Monday morning.

Ukraine’s openness to dropping a NATO bid is a move that is welcomed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who does not want any NATO troops stationed there.

Kushner and Witkoff met with Putin on Dec. 2 for a five-hour-long negotiating session.

Putin’s top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters afterward that the meeting was “constructive” but “compromises have not yet been found.”

Russians want Ukraine to withdraw forces from the part of the Donetsk region that the United States proposed making a demilitarized free economic zone, which was rejected by Kyiv.

Zelenskyy confirmed on Dec. 10 that Ukraine supported key parts of an economic outline to rebuild the country once the war ends, which has been a major aspect of peace discussions.

The rebuilding plan was a refined version of Trump’s initial 28-point proposal, in which Ukraine would yield territories such as Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk to Russia, Ukraine having a constitutional block from joining NATO, and allowing Russia to return to the G7.

Russia has launched more than 1,500 drones, nearly 900 guided aerial bombs, and 46 missiles at Ukraine in the past week, Zelenskyy said on Sunday. Recent attacks have left hundreds of thousands without power, heat, or water in multiple regions across the country.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.