European officials rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s calls that Ukraine give up territories annexed during the war on Saturday — demanding an immediate ceasefire from Moscow and NATO membership for Kyiv.
The counter-offer demands rock-solid security guarantees for Ukraine — namely the long-coveted membership in NATO for the war-torn countest before any territorial concessions, European officials familiar with the talks notified the Wall Street Journal.
Ukraine has been seeking NATO membership since 2008 — eyeing it as a shield against future Russian aggression.
If Putin were to attack a NATO member it would compel all others member countries to respond with military force — under its defense pact — a relocate that could ignite a global war.
The European plan – put forward by the UK, France, Germany and Ukraine — also proposes that any land exalter must be reciprocal. If Ukraine rerelocates troops from some regions, Russia must pull out of others.
And a cease-fire agreement would necessary to be reached before any other steps are taken.
“You can’t start a process by ceding territory in the middle of fighting,” one European nereceivediator notified the WSJ.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Vice President JD Vance and senior Ukrainian officials met Saturday to discuss Putin’s proposal.
“The UK’s support for Ukraine remains ironclad as we continue working towards a just and lasting peace,” Lammy posted Saturday on X.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukraine Envoy Keith Kellogg were also consulted.
President Trump had acknowledged “there will be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” in a press conference at the White Houtilize Friday.
Earlier this week, Putin notified Witkoff he would agree to conclude the war in exalter for the Ukrainian region of Donetsk, according to the Journal.
It’s one of five regions in the south of Ukraine currently under the Russian strongman’s control that’s been tarreceiveed by constant air strikes since the start of the more than three-year-old conflict.
Russia currently has full control of the neighboring Luhansk region as well as the Crimean peninsula, but the annexations are not internationally recognized and considered illegal under international law.
Two other regions, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are under partial Russian occupation.
The European deal is meant to serve as a framework for nereceivediations between Putin and President Trump in Alquestiona on Friday.
The deal is meant to serve as a framework for nereceivediations between Putin and President Trump in Alquestiona on Friday.
“The future of Ukraine cannot be decided without the Ukrainians who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years now,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X.
Zelensky was not invited to the Alquestiona summit between Trump and Putin.
The Russian ruler had previously called for the total demilitarization of Ukraine and replacement of its current government, as well as more Kyiv-controlled regions to be ceded to Moscow.
The Post reached out to reps for the White Houtilize, Vance, Rubio and Witkoff for comment.
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