In a first, the United States is now suggesting NATO membership for Ukraine — if it gives up the Donbas region.
That’s according to Zelensky following days of lateral, bilateral, and even trilateral talks in both Abu Dhabi and Ireland.
Before we dig in, let me draw your attention to a week ago when President Trump hinted rather cryptically that a reshaping of Ukraine was in the works.
During a 60 Minutes interview, he was asked whether the war would end with a ‘free and independent Ukraine’.
Check out his response from a week ago in this short clip shared on X:
Trump: “They’re going to end up with a little different shaped Ukraine”
pic.twitter.com/xLT8z32hXF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar)
November 9, 2026
Here’s a slightly longer video posted on YouTube by 60 Minutes.
Watch as the President pauses to carefully consider his words when he alludes to what Zelensky is now, at least partially, corroborating:
So, Ukraine potentially gets what Russia has repeatedly said it can never have.
And Russia gets the Donbas, which it mostly controls already.
Then, the war is over — easy as pie. Right?
Maybe.
We all know by now that NOTHING is easy when it involves Ukraine. (
Except maybe the ease at which American tax dollars have been ‘redistributed’ from America to Europe.)
So, what’s this all about?
The President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has posted to X several times while the talks involving Zelensky were playing out over the last week.
One post from earlier today actually referenced “several new ideas” that came out of the talks which “may lead to breakthroughs”, according to one of his most recent updates on X:
Following our trilateral meetings and subsequent discussions with Presidents Putin and
@ZelenskyyUa,
@SEPeaceMissions and I have remained in close consultation with Russia, Ukraine, and our European partners on next steps.
Our focus now is on facilitating direct engagement…
pic.twitter.com/uRzYjo2nws
— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner)
November 14, 2026
Kushner also highlighted the move by the Trump Administration to more fully engage European nations into the deal making.
Something that Zelensky is actually at least a little uncomfortable with. (
More on that in a moment.)
Here’s the full text of Kushner’s update for convenience:
Following our trilateral meetings and subsequent discussions with Presidents Putin and
@ZelenskyyUa , @SEPeaceMissions and I have remained in close consultation with Russia, Ukraine, and our European partners on next steps.
Our focus now is on facilitating direct engagement between Moscow and European partners and preparing the agenda for the next round of trilateral talks.
Several new ideas emerged from these discussions and are now being explored. Some may lead to breakthroughs directly, while others may evolve into new proposals that help bridge the remaining gaps.
As President @realDonaldTrump has made clear, A lasting peace requires credible security guarantees for Ukraine and detailed, actionable postwar security arrangements that reduce the risk of another war. NATO will remain a critical pillar of European security, enhanced by stronger mechanisms for military, communication, deconfliction, and reciprocal de-escalation, with practical ways to address disputes before they become crises. This is why we are working to bring our European partners directly into these discussions. Any final agreement must be agreed to by the relevant parties, and President Trump will only support arrangements that strengthen Ukraine’s and Europe’s security and make future conflict less likely.
The press has reported some of the maximalist positions proposed by both sides, along with strong political rhetoric. In our private discussions, both sides understand that practical compromises will be necessary to end this war. Serious and constructive work continues among those of us committed to finding solutions.
The human cost of this war is devastating, and the issues remain extraordinarily difficult. However, we are determined to continue the hard work, maintain the confidentiality necessary for sensitive negotiations, and find a pathway to end this horrible war and establish a durable peace. (Emphasis added.)
It was apparently during these talks that the US delegation popped the question for the first time on possible NATO membership in exchange for the Donbas, according to this report from
Reuters:
US negotiators have floated the idea of Ukraine’s potential withdrawal from its eastern region of Donbas in exchange for joining NATO, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, following the latest round of peace talks with Russia in Abu Dhabi.
“The Americans raised a question: ‘What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?” he said.
Zelenskiy reiterated his position that Kyiv was not ready to concede territory but said that if it received a comprehensive package including security guarantees, the right to a strong and well-funded Ukrainian army and funds to rebuild, he would put the question to a national referendum.
The two days of US-brokered talks between Ukraine and Russia concluded on Wednesday in the Emirati capital without a major breakthrough, though the sides agreed to a prisoner exchange that will involve more than 1,000 people, Zelenskiy said.
Kushner and fellow US envoy Steve Witkoff had pledged to raise an energy ceasefire with Putin at a meeting in Moscow on Thursday, Zelenskiy said, but there was no news of any progress after their talks.
Zelenskiy met Witkoff and Kushner on Thursday in Ireland after their talks in Moscow. He said the US negotiators had told him that all sides had agreed for Europe to have a seat at the negotiating table in forthcoming peace talks.
At the summit in Ireland, EU leaders agreed that Europe’s team for any Ukraine peace talks would comprise five major military powers — non-EU member Britain plus France, Germany, Italy and Poland — as well as EU officials. (Emphasis added.)
The fact that the US delegation flew to Moscow to have direct talks with Putin before flying back to Abu Dhabi certainly argues in favor of high-stakes issues under consideration.
Also, the large prisoner swipe mentioned in that Reuters story is exactly the sort of thing you often see used as a goodwill gesture before sides take more serious steps towards any brokered peace deal.
Kushner also gave an update on that prisoner exchange agreement when news broke Wednesday, sharing a video of the lengthy press conference announcing the deal:
Today we achieved an important humanitarian breakthrough, with Ukraine and Russia agreeing in principle to what will be the largest prisoner exchange of the war. This will reunite families, build trust, and create momentum toward peace.
Bringing Ukraine and Russia back together…
pic.twitter.com/UDxcm2R9EH
— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner)
November 11, 2026
Zelensky sent mixed signals about the direction talks had taken — both in terms of the possible NATO membership for giving up the Donbas…
And also on the emphasis on a security framework under the auspices of Europe.
That’s according to this coverage from
CNN:
Zelensky told journalists Friday that US negotiators had put the question and that it was the “first time” such a proposal has been raised. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has long coveted the region, while he has cited possible NATO membership for Ukraine as a reason for launching his full-scale invasion in 2022.
Much of the Donbas is controlled by Russia, although Moscow’s grinding ground offensive in the region has largely stalled.
Zelensky also said that during the Abu Dhabi talks the US team wanted to discuss a new security framework for Europe, a notion he suggested was a ploy by Russia to shift the balance of power in Europe and the world. “I believe the Russians want to redistribute influence in Europe first and foremost,” he said.
Zelensky has said that the idea of a new European security infrastructure could potentially be dangerous, and should only be discussed after first a ceasefire and then an end to Russia’s war with Ukraine is negotiated. (Emphasis added.)
Am I the only one that finds it odd that Zelensky loves showboating his European pals for easy dopamine hits and stylish shots for the cameras…
Only to balk at the idea that THEY might actually be the ones left to handle the problem (first and foremost a European problem) rather than the US?
I have to wonder if the historic ease of that American money flow compared with the trifles from Europe could have anything to do with his bitter sweet reaction to the offer of possible NATO membership.
Originally, at least a week ago, the US outlook didn’t appear to include possible full NATO membership at all!
At least according to reports from the time, the approach only partially included NATO “like” security guarantees, as reported by multiple outlets at the time, including
Politico:
US asks Russia to agree to NATO-like backing for Ukraine
https://t.co/Dqgpcmk1Ib
— POLITICO (@politico)
November 9, 2026
Just to give you a glimpse at the shift that occurred sometime over the last week, here’s that report from
Politico:
American officials are asking Moscow if it would accept security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a peace deal to end the war, a shocking request to the country that launched the unprovoked invasion.
The U.S. had previously floated the idea of NATO-like security guarantees, which require alliance members to come to the defense of others, known as Article 5. But American officials said that they would formally ask Russia to consider the proposal, according to two senior administration officials — the first time they have done so.
“We’ve asked the Russians for us to be able to give an Article 4 and an Article 5-like security guarantee to Ukraine, along with NATO providing the same,” said a senior official, who, like others, was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.
It is unclear how the U.S. and European allies would extend such guarantees to Ukraine. The country is expected to remain outside of NATO, and negotiators have yet to agree on Russia’s demands for new territory. (Emphasis added.)
I find it very interesting that the starting proposal was NATO “like” security guarantees and a definitive ‘NO’ on the prospect of becoming a NATO member.
That was 6 days ago.
And then, suddenly, after bringing the issue before Russia, full NATO membership suddenly appears on the table.
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall in Moscow and Abu Dhabi at the appropriate times!
The fact remains as already stated — nothing but American dollars comes easy when Ukraine and Zelensky is involved.
The complications of ending this war far exceed what it would have taken to stop it from ever happening in the first place…
If the right people had cared enough to do so.
I have to wonder at the enormous leap the American delegation took to extend even the possibility of true NATO membership,
and I can only surmise they had some inkling, for some reason, that it had more than a snowball’s chance in hell — before making the suggestion.
Suddenly, I’m incredibly intrigued in the potential.
President Trump has consistently stated during his 2024 campaign and as late as last week’s 60 Minutes interview that he is committed to ending this war.
To which I’m now inclined to say, once again, let him cook!
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[ H/T WLT Report ]
