Donbas in focus as Zelensky says US floated Nato membership for Donbas withdrawal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says US negotiators have raised the idea of Ukraine withdrawing its remaining forces from the eastern Donbas region in exchange for Nato membership. He made the remarks to reporters, with his comments on the question reported on Saturday, as Washington and Moscow continue efforts to end the war with Russia. Zelensky said the question had been raised for the first time, but that no concrete offer exists.

What Zelensky said

According to Zelensky, US envoys asked during recent talks in Abu Dhabi whether Ukraine would pull its troops out of the Donbas if it were allowed to join the alliance. He said Ukraine would not withdraw its troops. He added, however, that if Kyiv received firm security guarantees, no constraints on its military and funding for reconstruction, he would put such a proposal to a referendum.

Zelensky also said the US proposal had led him to believe that Nato is back on the agenda, but he cautioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin had sent signals that made the discussion extremely difficult. He said the European Union and Nato are Europe's only real security guarantee. He also said he would not change Ukraine's constitution to make the country neutral, arguing that such a move would not guarantee lasting security.

Diplomatic background

US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff travelled to Dublin to meet Zelensky after talks with Putin in Moscow, according to reports. Moscow has previously set out limits on the size of Ukraine's military, territorial concessions and Kyiv's guaranteed neutrality as conditions for a deal. Ukraine has rejected these terms, arguing they would weaken its ability to defend itself against any future invasion.

Russia currently occupies roughly a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including most of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up the Donbas. Ukraine still controls smaller areas there, and giving them up would be symbolically significant for Kyiv, as it would amount to accepting that the Donbas belongs to Russia. Moscow opposes Ukraine joining Nato, whose members pledge to defend one another.

Relations between Kyiv and Washington have been strained recently. US President Donald Trump had asked Ukraine to pause strikes on Russian oil facilities deep inside Russia, in order to help supply Russian diesel and ease global fuel prices, which have risen since the US and Israel attacked Iran in February. Zelensky later accused US officials of limiting Ukraine's Starlink internet service, which Ukraine uses to coordinate defensive operations. Trump has said it was "time for Ukraine to get a new president" and called for fresh elections. Ukraine's elections are suspended under martial law.

Fighting continues on the ground and in the air

Russian authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack on Saturday killed a mother, a father and their 24-month-old daughter at their home in Proletarsky, in the Belgorod region, about 20 km from the Ukrainian border. Russia's Ministry of Defence said it intercepted 29 Ukrainian drones overnight, including several over the Moscow region.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 96 drones from Friday evening, of which 81 were shot down or electronically suppressed as of early Saturday. It reported hits at eight locations and falling debris at two others. A local power supplier reported outages in parts of northeastern Sumy.

What we know so far

The Donbas proposal remains a question raised in talks, not a formal offer, and Russia has not moved from its core demands, according to comments from Putin and Kremlin officials. Renewed direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations this week have produced prisoner exchanges but, apart from that, little visible progress. European representatives are expected to take part in the next round.