Land is the Red Line: Zelenskyy Rejects US Push to Cede Donetsk, But Offers NATO Compromise
The diplomatic gears are grinding in Berlin, but the gap between Kyiv and Washington/Moscow remains massive. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meeting with US President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, signaled a willingness to give up a core national aspiration while absolutely refusing to compromise on territory.
Add businessleague.in as a Preferred Source
Also Read | Fog wreaks havoc from UP to Haryana, vehicles collide in Rewari and Greater Noida due to low visibility
The NATO Compromise
Let’s be real, this is a huge concession.
NATO Bid Dropped: Zelenskyy voiced readiness to drop Ukraine’s push to join NATO, a key long-term goal and one of Russia’s primary demands for peace.
The Condition: Kyiv expects the West to offer legally binding security guarantees similar to the Article 5 mutual defense clause offered to NATO members.
The Rationale: “These security guarantees are an opportunity to prevent another wave of Russian aggression,” he said in an audio clip before the talks. The thing is, he stressed this move “is already a compromise on our part.”
Also Read | Fog wreaks havoc from UP to Haryana, vehicles collide in Rewari and Greater Noida due to low visibility
The Land Dispute: A Firm Rejection
This is where the talks hit a wall, or nothing. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has demanded Ukraine withdraw its forces from the parts of the eastern Donetsk region still under Kyiv’s control. Washington, trying to navigate this, offered a confusing counter-proposal.
The US Suggestion: The US floated an idea for Ukraine to withdraw from its remaining part of Donetsk and create a demilitarized free economic zone there.
Zelenskyy’s Rejection: He dismissed this proposal as “unworkable” and “not fair.” He asked the obvious question: “Who will manage this economic zone?”
The Logic: If Ukrainian troops withdraw 5-10 kilometers, why don’t Russian troops withdraw the same distance? The issue is “very sensitive,” and he insisted on a freeze along the current line of contact, saying: “today a fair possible option is we stand where we stand.”
Also Read | Fog wreaks havoc from UP to Haryana, vehicles collide in Rewari and Greater Noida due to low visibility
The Wider Warning
The urgency in Berlin is framed by increasing European alarm and brutal aerial warfare.
Merz’s Warning: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, set to meet with Zelenskyy, warned over the weekend that “the decades of the Pax Americana are largely over for us in Europe.” He described Putin’s aim as “the restoration of the old Soviet Union within its borders,” adding ominously: “If Ukraine falls, he won’t stop.”
The Air War: As the diplomacy unfolds, the war grinds on. Russia launched ballistic missiles and 138 attack drones overnight, though Ukraine’s air force claimed 110 were intercepted. Hits were recorded at six locations, leaving hundreds of thousands of families without power and heat across the country’s south and east. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it downed 235 Ukrainian drones over its own territory.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, warned that a search for compromise could take a long time, suggesting the European alterations to the US proposals were “unlikely to be constructive…..
Disclaimer: This information is based on public statements and official reports regarding the peace talks held in Berlin on December 14, 2025, and subsequent commentary.
Add businessleague.in as a Preferred Source
