Washington has proposed that Ukraine surrender the eastern Donbas region to Russia as a condition for joining NATO, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Amerika mengajukan pertanyaan, Bagaimana jika Ukraina bergabung dengan NATO? Apakah Ukraina akan menarik pasukannya dari Donbas? Ini pertama kalinya pertanyaan seperti itu diajukan,” said Volodymyr Zelensky in a statement released on Saturday (November 14), as reported by CNN Indonesia.
Zelenskyy previously stated a desire to reclaim Russian-held territory across four Ukrainian regions, including the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014, according to CNBC Indonesia.
The proposal emerged following two days of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi involving delegations from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia, which concluded without a ceasefire agreement, detikNews reported. The talks held on 10 and 11 November in Abu Dhabi ended without a ceasefire agreement, with the most important result being an agreement on a prisoner exchange, according to detikNews.
US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff attended the talks and subsequently held separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy, Investing reported. The negotiations have not yet produced an agreement to end the war, which is the largest conflict in Europe since World War II, according to AFP.
Security Guarantees and Public Referendum
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is discussing concrete security guarantees from NATO and the European Union, including military strength, weapons, and financial support, Investing reported. Zelenskyy also wrote on Telegram after the meeting that Russia and Ukraine had discussed security guarantees and emphasized that “Langkah pertama adalah perang harus diakhiri dan jaminan keamanan diberikan kepada Ukraina” according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.
Moscow has consistently rejected NATO enlargement near its borders while demanding that Kyiv cede Donbas, limit its military strength, and adopt a neutral status, CNBC Indonesia reported. Meanwhile, Russian forces have advanced slowly westward since launching their full-scale invasion in February 2022, though they have not gained complete control of the Donetsk region.
Energy Ceasefire Refusal
During the Abu Dhabi discussions, Russia rejected a proposed ceasefire that would have halted attacks on energy infrastructure, according to CNN Indonesia.
Despite the lack of an overall ceasefire, delegations agreed on a large-scale prisoner exchange, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioning exchanges of “1.000 banding 1.000” or “1.500 banding 1.500” during the Abu Dhabi meeting, according to detikNews. Negotiators also agreed that European representatives must be included in future diplomatic rounds.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Friday (November 13) that Russia remains ready to talk with European nations if they appoint representatives with proper mandates to negotiate with Putin, ANTARA News reported. European leaders, including Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, have floated figures such as European Council President Antonio Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas as potential European Union representatives, according to ANTARA News.
Questions about Abu Dhabi talks and prisoner exchange
What was the main outcome of the Abu Dhabi talks?
The two-day trilateral talks concluded without a ceasefire, but resulted in an agreement on a large-scale prisoner exchange that officials indicated could take place within two to three weeks.
Who represented the United States in the negotiations?
US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff attended the discussions in Abu Dhabi.
How does Moscow view European involvement in peace talks?
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is prepared to dialogue with European nations if they designate representatives holding explicit mandates to speak with President Vladimir Putin.