• Zelenskyy signals readiness to forgo NATO membership for Western security assurances.
• Discussions focus on bilateral security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.
• US envoys deem significant progress made during the peace talks in Berlin.
• Zelenskyy rejects proposals requiring territorial concessions to Russia.
• Russian officials emphasize the critical nature of Ukraine's NATO non-accession in negotiations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated a willingness to abandon Ukraine's long-standing goal of NATO membership in exchange for Western security guarantees to counter Russian aggression. This declaration marks a significant pivot in Ukraine's foreign policy, reflecting pressures from the US and European partners, and was shared during ongoing peace discussions in Berlin with US envoys, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to aa, scmp, and channelnewsasia.

In what Zelenskyy described as a compromise, he stated, "These security guarantees are an opportunity to prevent another wave of Russian aggression," affirming the need for bilateral agreements akin to NATO's Article 5. Zelenskyy's shift is notable given that Ukraine's pursuit of NATO membership has been a constitutional goal since 2019, and it aligns with several European states' support for binding security agreements before any territorial negotiations, as outlined by indiatimes and lemonde.

The ongoing negotiations in Berlin have reportedly yielded constructive dialogue, with Witkoff remarking that "a lot of progress was made" during over five hours of talks. However, Zelenskyy firmly rejected proposals suggesting that Ukraine cede territory to Russia, emphasizing that Ukraine would not withdraw its forces or accept the establishment of a demilitarized zone without reciprocal actions from Russia, according to channelnewsasia and lemonde.

Amid these talks, Russian officials, including spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, have underscored the importance of Ukraine's non-accession to NATO, asserting that it is a critical condition for any peace settlement. Peskov stated that the negotiations must focus on this key issue, reiterating that Moscow views Ukraine's NATO aspirations as a direct security threat, as indicated by aa and lemonde.