SVO News, December 14, 2025, Avia.pro. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the country is prepared to abandon plans to join NATO in exchange for legally binding security guarantees from the United States, European countries, and Japan, similar to the provisions of Article 5 of the alliance's charter. He announced this during a press conference, emphasizing Kyiv's willingness to compromise to achieve peace. According to him, such guarantees should become a reliable alternative to NATO membership, which was previously a key element of Ukrainian foreign policy and enshrined in the constitution.

Zelenskyy noted that the idea of ​​bilateral and multilateral security agreements arose in response to the position of several Western partners, who do not support the immediate expansion of the alliance amid the current conflict. This statement comes amid ongoing talks in Berlin, where the Ukrainian leader is discussing the details of a peace plan with European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Leaving NATO could be a significant step in the dialogue with Russia, which has repeatedly demanded neutrality for Ukraine, although Moscow has not yet commented on the new proposal.

Experts believe that Zelenskyy's move could be an attempt to speed up the settlement process, especially given the lack of response from the United States to previous proposals and the reduction in American military aid.