Trump’s team showed little interest in the idea of Ukraine joining NATO at the meeting with Andriy Yermak, the Wall Street Journal reports following the results of communication between the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and representatives of the Republican.
Representatives of Ukraine held talks with senior representatives of US President-elect Donald Trump. The meeting was attended by the future special representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, national security adviser Michael Waltz and Vice President JD Vance. Of them, only Kellogg supported the delivery of military aid to Ukraine and promised to talk to Trump on the subject.
As part of the talks, Kyiv’s representatives said that Ukraine intends to announce its readiness to negotiate and conclude an agreement with Moscow. However, in return for announcing its “readiness for peace,” the Ukrainian delegation asked for guarantees that it would be a “sustainable peace.”
As for the US side, the new White House team showed little interest in the idea of Ukraine joining NATO.
Earlier, the US suggested that Kyiv’s accession to the North Atlantic alliance should be considered as one of such “guarantees.” In late November, Zelensky allowed a ceasefire in exchange for the country’s membership in the North Atlantic alliance. He noted that to end the hot phase of the conflict with Russia, “it is necessary to take the territory of Ukraine, which is under the control” of Kyiv, under the NATO umbrella.
Peace plans with Ukraine’s territorial concessions
Trump’s advisers recently presented him with three options for resolving the conflict in Ukraine, Reuters has learnt. According to the agency’s source, there are now three proposals – from Keith Kellogg, Vice President-elect James David Vance and former National Intelligence chief Richard Grenell. They all offer territorial concessions from Ukraine and a rejection of NATO membership.
Analysts and former intelligence officials note that Trump’s proposals will face opposition from Zelensky, who called Ukraine’s accession to the North Atlantic Alliance a key point of his “victory plan.” Members of the leadership of European countries and the US Congress are expected to interfere with the head of the White House, and he may have fewer trump cards to force Kyiv into the negotiations.
Zelensky decided to give up territories
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to concessions in the conflict because of the rapid advance of Russian troops in Donbass, Responsible Statecraft reports.
The publication says that “reality, it seems, is beginning to reach Kyiv.” Back in October, Zelensky continued to insist that Ukraine would not cede any of its territories to Russia and would regain all of them, including Donbas and Crimea. But as Russian troops broke through the fortified Ukrainian defences “in their increasingly rapid march westwards,” a new reality began to dawn on Kyiv.
The statement that Zelensky made in an interview with Fox News was significantly different from his previous statements. He admitted that Ukraine would not have the strength to return Crimea militarily. The Ukrainian politician also said that he would like to return Crimea to Ukraine “diplomatically.”
Later, Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News that he might agree to a ceasefire and giving up some territories in exchange for Ukraine’s NATO membership. The article notes that Kyiv’s admission that it will not win the conflict militarily and that it needs to start negotiations is welcome. Although a peaceful settlement is still a long way off, it may be a sign that Ukraine is willing to discuss terms for ending the conflict.
