Berlin: Ukraine has made a pivotal decision to abandon its long-standing goal of joining NATO, marking a significant breakthrough in peace negotiations with Russia. During discussions in Berlin, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the offer, addressing one of Russia’s primary demands in hopes of ending the ongoing conflict.

According to Thai News Agency, U.S. Special Representative Steve Whitkoff revealed on X that Zelenskyy reached this compromise during talks with a U.S. delegation on Sunday. In a five-hour conversation, Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine’s initial pursuit of NATO membership was driven by the belief that it would ensure true security, a notion embedded in the country’s constitution. However, with some US and European partners not backing this strategy, Zelenskyy acknowledged the existence of bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine, the US, and European allies as a new pathway to safeguard against future Russian threats.

Ukraine’s ambition to join NATO was cited by Russia as one of the motivations for its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Despite this recent progress, the US’s 20-point peace plan still faces challenges, with unresolved issues such as the contentious demand for Ukraine to cede territory to Russia.