According to the head of state, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Western leaders avoid openly discussing with him the acceptance of Ukraine into NATO in exchange for giving up the occupied territories. However, such discussions are currently taking place on the sidelines.
Points of attention
- Western leaders avoid openly discussing with Volodymyr Zelenskyy the acceptance of Ukraine into NATO in exchange for giving up the occupied territories.
- President Zelenskyy calls on partners to conduct transparent negotiations.
- Discussions about the possible exchange of the occupied territories for membership in NATO have been going on among Western leaders for more than a year and a half.
Zelenskyy announced the secret negotiations of the allies regarding Ukraine
As the President of Ukraine noted, one of the West's plans to exchange the occupied territories for membership in NATO was not discussed with him and his team directly.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that these ideas are voiced behind the scenes, and none of Kyiv's allies has yet dared to openly raise this issue before Ukraine.
In his opinion, this approach damages trust, so the partners need to return to transparent negotiations.
People never said that. People are afraid to say (me — ed.).
Volodymyr Zelenskyi
President of Ukraine
Against this background, the head of state urged Western leaders to "put it on the table, openly in front of us. Not through some third party."
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyi, he is really ready to consider peace proposals from other countries, if they are realistic and do not undermine support for Ukraine.
Brazil, do you have a plan? Perfectly. We are not against a proposal from China... But guys, please don't divide us, the Ukrainian leader urged.
The "West German model" for Ukraine has been discussed for a long time
What is important to understand is that West Germany joined NATO in 1955, even though East Germany remained under Russian control until 1989.
According to foreign media, discussions in the West regarding such a scenario for Ukraine have been going on for about a year and a half.
Former US special representative to Ukraine Kurt Volker, former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and the current president of the Czech Republic, Peter Pavel, made statements on this matter.
I do not think that the complete restoration of control over the entire territory is a necessary condition. If there is a demarcation, even an administrative border, then we can consider [it] temporary and accept Ukraine into NATO on the territory that it will control at that time, — said the president of the Czech Republic recently.
