Zelensky says US floated Donbass pullout in exchange for NATO membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that American representatives put a question to Kyiv: would Ukraine withdraw its military from Donbass in exchange for NATO membership? The Kyiv Post reported his remarks on Saturday. The outlet gave no further detail on how Kyiv answered.

Donbass, the eastern region at the center of the war, has been the sticking point in every round of talks. Turkey has positioned itself as one of the chief mediators between Moscow and Kyiv since the fighting began, and a source in the Turkish cabinet told RIA Novosti on Saturday that Ankara is staying in contact with Moscow about the peace settlement. The source called it important for Turkey to understand how the negotiations are developing, what is on the agenda and where Moscow stands, and said keeping communication channels with Russia open is essential.

The war kept grinding overnight. Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 96 airstrikes using drones of various types from the Bryansk, Orel and Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions, plus occupied Donetsk and the Gvardiyske region in occupied Crimea. Ukrainian air defenses shot down or suppressed 81 of the drones, using aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare, unmanned systems units and mobile fire groups, according to the military's report. The strikes hit eight locations.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces struck a Ukrainian dry cargo ship near Odessa, claiming it was carrying military cargo to the city. Earlier in the day, debris from a Ukrainian drone damaged a hotel in the village of Severny Sad in Russia's southwestern Rostov region and sparked a fire that was later put out, regional governor Yuriy Slyusar said. No casualties were reported.