In exchange for cease-fire, Russia’s withdrawal, and security guarantee.
QUICK FACTS:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Monday he was prepared to discuss a commitment from Ukraine not to seek NATO membership, The Associated Press (AP) reports.
- Zelenskyy said his country would commit to staying out of NATO in exchange for a cease-fire, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and a guarantee of Ukraine’s security.
WHAT ZELENSKYY SAID:
“It’s a compromise for everyone: for the West, which doesn’t know what to do with us with regard to NATO, for Ukraine, which wants security guarantees, and for Russia, which doesn’t want further NATO expansion,” Zelensky said late Monday in an interview with Ukrainian television channels.
BACKGROUND:
- President Zelenskyy also repeated his call for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, AP notes, arguing that unless he meets with Putin, it is impossible to understand whether Russia even wants to stop the war.
- Zelensky went on to say that Kyiv will even be ready to discuss the status of Crimea and the eastern Donbass region held by Russian-backed separatists if a cease-fire and steps toward providing security guarantees were
