If Strong Security Guarantees Are Secured,
Zelensky Hints at Forgoing NATO Membership
But Demands Substantial Assurances Equivalent to Article 5
On December 14 (local time), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine could forgo joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if it receives strong security guarantees from the United States and Europe. This is seen as a strategy to secure substantial security assurances in exchange for showing flexibility on the issue of NATO membership, which former President Donald Trump has long opposed.
According to the Associated Press and Reuters, President Zelensky told reporters before departing for Berlin, Germany, "The reason Ukraine has aspired to join NATO was to secure genuine security guarantees," adding, "However, the United States and some European partners have not supported this direction."
He continued, "At this point, bilateral security guarantees from the United States equivalent to NATO’s Article 5 (collective defense clause), along with security assurances from European countries, Canada, and Japan, are realistic measures to prevent another Russian invasion," emphasizing, "For us, this already represents a significant compromise."
President Zelensky added that these security guarantees must be legally binding and supported by the U.S. Congress. He also said he expects to receive further updates after Ukrainian and U.S. military officials meet in Germany. This suggests that if the West provides security guarantees comparable to NATO’s collective defense clause, Ukraine may choose not to pursue NATO membership.
The Donald Trump administration has consistently maintained that Ukraine’s NATO membership is impossible. Russia has insisted that Ukraine must reduce its military and that Western troops must never enter Ukraine. Considering this, it remains uncertain whether the Trump administration would agree to security guarantees equivalent to NATO’s Article 5.
President Zelensky made it clear that he rejects territorial concessions demanded by both the United States and Russia. The United States is reportedly proposing that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the Donbas region and designate the area as a demilitarized free economic zone. In response, President Zelensky said, "The proposal is to withdraw troops and leave only the police, but the question is simple," asking, "If Ukrainian forces retreat by 5 to 10 kilometers, why shouldn’t Russian forces withdraw the same distance from the occupied territories?" He stressed, "The fairest option is to maintain the current positions, and that is the essence of a ceasefire."
On this day, President Zelensky arrived in Berlin and met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, former President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Alexis Grinkevich, Supreme Commander of NATO-EU Forces.
The U.S. delegation assessed that "significant progress has been made" regarding discussions on ending the war in Ukraine. Special Envoy Witkoff said the talks lasted more than five hours, with "broad and in-depth discussions covering a 20-point peace plan and economic agenda." He added, "There has been substantial progress, and we plan to meet again on the morning of the 15th."
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