The United States has asked whether Ukraine would withdraw from areas of the eastern Donbas region still outside Russian control in return for Nato membership, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. In comments released by his office on Saturday, he described the question as a first from Washington and said it suggested membership of the alliance was again under consideration. He maintained that Ukraine would not surrender territory.
Zelenskyy said the idea would be part of a new European security framework for the period after the war. He warned, however, that it could give Russia an opportunity to weaken Nato and redraw borders, creating conditions for further conflict or escalation. While reiterating Kyiv’s opposition to territorial concessions, he said he would submit a comprehensive package to a national referendum if it included security guarantees, provision for a strong and adequately funded Ukrainian army, and money for reconstruction.
The Ukrainian leader also rejected Russia’s demand for an overarching agreement on European security before settling the details of how to end the fighting. His position echoed statements by European leaders at Friday’s summit in Dublin. Zelenskyy argued that ending the war must come before discussions about reshaping wider security arrangements. He also ruled out a commitment to Ukrainian neutrality, which would require a constitutional change.
Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law, said on Saturday that Washington was working to enable direct discussions between Russia and European countries about the war. His comments followed trilateral meetings involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine during the week. Those negotiations produced agreement that European countries would participate in future peace talks. Neither Washington nor Nato had commented on the proposed link between a Donbas withdrawal and Ukrainian membership.
Separately, Zelenskyy accused SpaceX of being untruthful about restrictions on Ukraine’s Starshield satellite system. Speaking on Friday, he said speed limits imposed five days earlier had prevented Ukrainian drones from intercepting incoming Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. He suggested the restrictions had a political rather than technical basis. Ukraine suspects the slowdown is intended as US pressure to secure concessions to Putin.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Saturday that attempts to restrict support for Ukraine risked forcing an unfair settlement on the country and Europe. In a social media statement, he said rationing assistance would amount to imposing an “unjust peace” and could lead to another war. He said France could not support that approach.
Meanwhile, Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had struck a cargo ship at Ukraine’s port of Chornomorsk, according to a Saturday report by RIA news agency. The ministry claimed the vessel was supplying the Ukrainian military. Ukraine’s General Staff said Ukrainian attacks on Friday had ignited several oil storage tanks at the Samara oil pipeline station near Prosvet in Russia’s Samara region. It described the facility as a key component of Russia’s oil export network.
Ukraine’s Emergency Service also reported that 22 people were injured in a Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia, in south-eastern Ukraine, on Friday.
