Zelensky signals willingness to trade NATO bid for strong security guarantees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Kyiv is prepared to forgo NATO membership in exchange for robust security guarantees from the United States and European partners, as diplomatic efforts to end the war intensify, Azernews reports.

Speaking to journalists, Zelensky said the proposed guarantees should mirror NATO’s Article 5 collective defense principle. He added that the framework would not be limited to Europe, noting that non-European partners such as Canada and Japan could also play a role. His comments were reported by the Financial Times following a WhatsApp conversation with reporters.

The remarks come ahead of Zelensky’s planned meeting in Berlin with U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring renewed international engagement around a possible peace settlement.

Zelensky also disclosed that Ukraine has yet to receive a response from Washington regarding Kyiv’s revised peace proposal. Acknowledging the complexity of negotiations, he said that compromises would be unavoidable if the war is to be brought to an end.

The statement marks one of Zelensky’s clearest signals yet of flexibility on Ukraine’s long-standing NATO ambitions, highlighting Kyiv’s focus on securing concrete and enforceable security guarantees amid ongoing conflict.