Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called bilateral security guarantees with the US, Europe, and other countries a “compromise” on Ukraine’s NATO accession.
Speaking with journalists on Sunday, Zelenskyy recalled his country’s long-standing position to join the alliance as this provided it with “real security guarantees,” but said some of Kiev’s partners in the US and Europe did not support this course.
He said Ukraine is now pursuing bilateral security guarantees with Washington, namely “ Article 5-like guarantees,” referring to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, as well as guarantees from European and other countries, including Canada and Japan.
“These security guarantees for us are an opportunity to prevent another coming of Russian aggression. And this is already a compromise on our part,” Zelenskyy said, according to the RBC-Ukraine news agency.
Zelenskyy’s statement marks a major shift in Kiev’s approach to NATO membership, which was enshrined in Ukraine’s Constitution as a goal following a parliamentary vote to introduce constitutional amendments back in 2019.
Russia has regularly voiced opposition to Ukraine’s accession to NATO.
Talks in Berlin
Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin on Sunday for two days of talks with European leaders and US President Donald Trump's envoys on ending the war with Russia.
While fighting raged on in Ukraine, Zelenskyy was expected to be greeted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz who on Monday is also due to host other European leaders, among them Britain's Keir Starmer, and the heads of NATO and the EU.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner were seen entering a Berlin hotel on Sunday, as were top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and a German senior official, Bild daily reported.
As he headed to Germany, Zelenskyy said he was ready for "dialogue" on ending the almost four-year war that started in February 2022.
"The summit in Berlin is important," he added. "We are meeting with both the Americans and the Europeans... And today these meetings are taking place in Berlin, today and tomorrow."
"The fairest possible option is to -stay where we are“
Zelenskyy said he hoped the United States would back the idea of freezing the front line where it is, rather than Ukraine ceding the entire Donbas region as Moscow demands.
"The fairest possible option is to 'stay where we are'," Zelenskyy told reporters in an online briefing.
"This is true because it is a ceasefire... I know that Russia does not view this positively, and I would like the Americans to support us on this issue."
Trump has been stepping up pressure on Kiev to reach an agreement since revealing a plan last month to end the war that was criticised as echoing Moscow's demands.
The proposal has triggered a flurry of diplomacy between the United States and Ukraine's European allies, with Kiev officials recently saying they had sent Washington a revised version.
