December 15, 2025 | 04:30 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Volodymyr Zelensky indicates that Ukraine is prepared to set aside its long-standing ambition to join NATO in exchange for Western security guarantees. Zelensky made the statement during a meeting with U.S. envoys and European allies in Berlin.
The talks on Sunday, December 14, 2025, took place under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to reach an agreement. Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, arrived in the German capital, Berlin, on Sunday for discussions involving representatives from Ukraine and Europe.
Prior to the talks, Zelensky described the proposal on Sunday as a concession from Kyiv after years of pressing for NATO membership as the strongest deterrent against potential future Russian attacks. He stated that the United States, European partners, and other allies could provide legally binding security guarantees in return.
"From the very beginning, Ukraine’s desire was to join NATO; these are real security guarantees. Some partners from the U.S. and Europe did not support this direction," Zelensky was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
"Thus, today, bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the U.S., Article 5-like guarantees for us from the U.S., and security guarantees from European colleagues, as well as other countries – Canada, Japan – are an opportunity to prevent another Russian invasion," he said.
"And it is already a compromise from our part," Zelensky added, emphasizing that the guarantees must be legally binding.
This shift would mark a significant change for Ukraine, which has long sought to become a NATO member. Russia vehemently opposes Ukraine's plans and views the expansion of the alliance as a threat.
Following the Sunday talks, Witkoff stated that much progress had been made. Zelenskyy's advisor, Dmytro Lytvyn, said the president would comment on the talks on Monday after they conclude. Lytvyn mentioned that officials are considering the draft document.
"They went on for more than five hours and ended for today with an agreement to resume tomorrow morning," Lytvyn said.
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