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Zelensky abandons plans for Ukraine's NATO membership

2025-12-15 16:47:49Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

President Zelensky no longer insists on Ukraine's NATO membership and calls for a ceasefire along the front. However, the Kremlin is not backing down and does not expect "good things" from the Berlin meeting.

New talks on a peace plan for Ukraine are currently underway in Berlin. Ukrainian President Zelensky, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and other representatives from both sides met at noon yesterday (14.12.) in the Chancellery. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz greeted the participants, but then withdrew from the negotiations in the small cabinet room in the Chancellery, according to reports. The meeting in Berlin is being moderated by Chancellor Merz's security policy adviser, Günter Sautter.

The two sides ended the talks on Sunday after five hours of negotiations, but "have agreed to continue tomorrow," said Zelensky's adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn. On Monday (15.12.), Merzi will meet again with Zelensky and other European state and government leaders.

Shortly before the start of the talks, it became clear that the positions remain far apart. While the Ukrainian side showed a willingness to compromise on several points and demanded the same from Russia, the latter shows no signs of backing down.

Before the meeting, Zelensky declared that his country no longer insists on NATO membership. Zelensky told reporters that Ukraine's desire did not have the support of all the alliance's member states. However, it would be a compromise if, instead of membership, the EU and the US offered similar security guarantees to his country, Zelensky added.

The goal of NATO membership is currently enshrined in the Ukrainian constitution. However, one of Russia's main demands is that Ukraine not be admitted to the alliance.

"Preventing another Russian invasion"

NATO membership has always been Ukraine's desire, because it would provide a "real security guarantee," Zelensky continued. However, bilateral security guarantees are also a way to "prevent another Russian invasion."

The move marks a significant turning point for Ukraine, which has been fighting for years to join the NATO military alliance as a defense against Russian attacks and has enshrined that goal in its constitution. Russia, for its part, has always sought to exclude its neighbor, which was once part of the Soviet Union, from NATO membership.

Withdrawal from Donetsk unacceptable for Zelensky

Another Russian demand remains unacceptable to Zelensky: the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Ukrainian territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that Russia has not occupied. Zelensky said that a ceasefire along the current front line would be fair, while the Russian demand is unfair.

The ceasefire as a basis for diplomacy

"The fairest possible option is to stay where we are," Zelensky said, adding: "It's a ceasefire: the parties remain in their positions and then try to resolve all common problems through diplomacy." The Ukrainian president added: "I know that Russia does not welcome this, and I would like the Americans to support us in this matter."

The US administration under President Donald Trump has again put pressure on Ukraine to accept a peace deal. Trump believes that Ukraine, which depends on Western support, is at a military disadvantage against Russia.

Russia unwavering in its territorial demands

Russian representatives quashed expectations ahead of the Berlin talks and reaffirmed Russia's well-known positions. "It is unlikely that anything good will come out" of the Berlin consultations, Putin's foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told Russian state television. The Europeans' and Ukraine's contributions to US President Trump's peace plan "will most likely not be constructive." At the same time, he praised the US side for understanding the Russian position.

Ushakov made it clear that Putin does not want to give up territorial claims. Russia rejects any changes on points related to territorial issues, he said in the interview recorded on Friday./ DW 


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