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ISLAMABAD : Monitoring Desk – During five hours of talks in Berlin with US representatives, President Zelenskyy suggested that Ukraine could drop its ambition to join NATO if Western countries provide security assurances should Russia attack again. Among those present were US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump\u2019s son-in-law Jared Kushner.<\/p>\n
Witkoff\u00a0described\u00a0the negotiations as achieving\u00a0\u201csignificant progress\u201d.<\/em>\u00a0Abandoning the goal of NATO membership represents a major change in Kyiv\u2019s position and meets one of Moscow\u2019s demands, although Ukraine is not considering giving up any territory.<\/p>\n Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine supports the principle\u00a0\u201cstanding where we stand\u201d,<\/em>\u00a0regarding it as just. While Ukraine originally saw joining NATO as the best way to secure its future, some of the country\u2019s allies in the US and Europe are not supportive, so alternatives like bilateral or multilateral security guarantees are under discussion.<\/p>\n These guarantees would include commitments from the US similar to NATO\u2019s Article 5, as well as guarantees from European nations, Canada, and Japan. Zelenskyy stressed that this solution is a compromise for Ukraine and insists that these guarantees must be legally binding.<\/p>\n Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the issue of Ukraine joining NATO\u00a0\u201cis subject to special discussion\u201d<\/em>\u00a0and emphasized that legally ensuring Ukraine does not join the Alliance is a central point in negotiations.<\/p>\n The Trump administration\u00a0has agreed to\u00a0these guarantees, which would need congressional approval to become legally binding. Trump\u00a0has expressed\u00a0his readiness to help guarantee Ukraine\u2019s security as part of a potential peace deal.<\/p>\n