Ukraine is willing to drop its ambitions to join Nato in exchange for western security guarantees, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said before talks in Berlin.
The Ukrainian president aired the concession as he flew to the German capital, where he began meetings with Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner in efforts to end the war with Russia.
The move marks a major shift for Ukraine, which has fought to join Nato as a safeguard against Russian attacks and has such an aspiration included in its constitution. It also meets one of Russia’s war aims, although Kyiv has so far held firm against ceding territory to Moscow.
Zelenskyy met the US envoys at talks hosted by Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz, who a source said had made brief remarks before leaving the two sides to negotiate. Other European leaders are also due in Germany for talks on Monday.
Zelenskyy described the concession on Nato as a compromise.
“From the very beginning, Ukraine’s desire was to join Nato, these are real security guarantees. Some partners from the US and Europe did not support this direction,” he said – adding that legally binding security guarantees from the US, Europe and other countries such as Canada and Japan could “prevent another Russian invasion”.
Vladimir Putin has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine officially renounce its Nato ambitions and withdraw troops from approximately 10% of Donbas that Kyiv still controls. Moscow has also said that Ukraine must be a neutral country, and that no Nato troops can be stationed there.
Russian sources said earlier this year that Putin wants a “written” pledge by major western powers not to enlarge the US-led Nato alliance eastwards – shorthand for formally ruling out membership to Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other former Soviet republics.
Zelenskyy had earlier called for a “dignified” peace and guarantees that Russia would not attack Ukraine again.
Under pressure from Trump to sign a peace deal that initially backed Moscow’s demands, Zelenskyy accused Russia of dragging out the war through deadly bombings of cities, as well as Ukraine’s power and water supplies.
Sending Witkoff, who has led negotiations with Ukraine and Russia on a US peace proposal, appeared to be a signal that Washington saw a chance of progress nearly four years after Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine, Europe and the US are looking at a 20-point plan, and that at the end of this there is a ceasefire. He said Kyiv has had no direct talks with Moscow.
A ceasefire along the current frontlines would be a fair option, he added.
Britain, France and Germany have been working to refine the US proposals, which in a draft disclosed last month called for Kyiv to cede more territory, abandon its Nato ambitions and accept limits on its armed forces.
European allies have described this as a “critical moment” that could shape Ukraine’s future, and sought to shore up Kyiv’s finances by leveraging frozen Russian central bank assets to fund Kyiv’s military and civilian budget.
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