Zelensky has rejected the U.S. idea of a demilitarized zone in Donbas but is willing to renounce NATO membership – Politico

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again rejected the U.S. proposal to create a demilitarized “free economic zone” in Donbas, but has agreed to give up NATO membership.

This was reported by Politico.

“The fate of Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation is a particularly complex and painful issue. U.S. President Donald Trump has put forward the idea of withdrawing both Ukrainian and Russian troops from these territories and creating a demilitarized ‘free economic zone’ where American business interests could operate. Ukraine rejected this proposal, according to a French official,” the article says.

The U.S. is insisting on territorial concessions despite fierce objections from Europe, which is causing friction with the Trump administration, the outlet adds.

The Ukrainian president is prepared to discuss giving up NATO and holding elections within a short timeframe, as well as freezing the front line, but he categorically rejects the demand to withdraw troops from Donetsk region, even if Russian forces do not enter the area.

“We will not accept that. It would be equivalent to the capitulation of the Ukrainian army,” a senior Ukrainian official said.

Ukraine is proposing that Russia also pull its forces back.

“If Ukrainian troops withdraw, say, by five to ten kilometres, why shouldn’t Russian troops also withdraw by the same distance deeper into the occupied territories?” the source said.

Reuters has reported that during talks in Berlin Zelensky proposed abandoning Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, and the president himself said this on Sunday.

At the same time, Kyiv Post writes that this does not mean a formal renunciation of NATO, but rather that NATO will not act as the security guarantor within the framework of this particular peace plan — a distinction that Zelensky described as a “linkage,” not a concession.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin considers it a “cornerstone” of the negotiations that a document be agreed with a legally binding commitment by Ukraine to renounce NATO membership, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. He stated that such a document requires special discussion.

German tabloid Bild writes that the key point on which Zelensky is refusing the U.S. is the withdrawal of troops from Donbas. Sources have called this a red line for Kyiv.

Recall that, according to media reports, under the American plan Russia is supposed to withdraw its forces from Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

Earlier, Zelensky said that the U.S. proposal requires only Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the remaining part of Donbas, while Russia would not be obliged to send its forces in there.