澤倫斯基：美方提出烏克蘭撤出頓巴斯 換取加入北約
Zelensky warned of the dangers of Russia's claims to reshape Europe's security architecture and said any territorial decisions must be subject to the consent of Ukrainian society.
Quick Look
烏克蘭總統澤倫斯基透露，美方首度詢問烏克蘭是否願以放棄頓巴斯領土換取加入北約。 Zelensky emphasized that such major decisions require social consensus and warned that Russia's position of trying to reshape the European security architecture is extremely dangerous and may lead to an escalation of the situation.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Russia demands that NATO troops and bases be withdrawn to the 1997 deployment range, a move that will weaken the defense capabilities of Poland and the Baltic countries. Zelensky stressed that the EU and NATO are Europe's only security guarantees.
(Central News Agency, Kyiv, comprehensive foreign news report on the 14th) The content of Ukrainian President Zelensky’s speech released today showed that the United States proposed for the first time that Ukraine give up territory in exchange for joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Agence France-Presse reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia is betting "everything" on this winter offensive in its war in Ukraine. He also warned that the Kremlin's demands for a redesign of Europe's security architecture were "dangerous" and could lead to more wars.
Zelensky spoke to the media yesterday after visiting Denmark and Ireland and meeting with European leaders. Previously, he participated in the two-day Russia-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi under the mediation of the United States.
Zelensky said: "The United States raised a question: 'If Ukraine joins NATO? Will Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?' This is the first time someone has raised this question." The publication ban on Zelensky's above-mentioned conversation was lifted today.
He said Ukraine was discussing "concrete security guarantees from NATO and the EU". If Western countries confirm the provision of these guarantees, "then I will ask Ukrainian society what it thinks: Do we accept it or not? I do not have the right to make this decision alone."
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky respectively after attending the talks in Abu Dhabi.
The New York Times quoted a copy of a Russian document provided by people involved in the Russia-Ukraine talks. The content of the document showed Moscow's uncompromising position.
The document states that Russia wants NATO troops and bases to be withdrawn to the extent of their deployment in 1997, before NATO began its expansion into Central and Eastern Europe. This move will weaken the self-defense capabilities of NATO's most vulnerable members, including Poland and the Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Zelensky pointed out that the EU and NATO are Europe's "only real security guarantees" and that Moscow's attempts to re-examine the continent's security architecture are "dangerous because... it is this kind of thing that can lead to war or escalation."
According to a report by Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) citing the German newspaper Bild, Russian negotiators proposed conditions such as prohibiting NATO from establishing military bases in the Baltic countries and requiring Finland to withdraw from NATO during the Russia-Ukraine negotiations.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Ukraine will hold social discussions on security plan
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What is the willingness of Ukrainian society to exchange territory for NATO membership?
- Will the United States formally propose such a territorial exchange plan?
