Will Ukraine make territorial concessions for NATO membership?

Fresh off the heels of the European summit in Dublin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy unveiled a US proposition. The Americans raised a question. What if Ukraine joins NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas? This was the first time that this had been raised. The trade-off would be a step back for Kyiv. The Ukrainian army currently controls a small part of their Donbas region, while Russia occupies much of it. At the same time, joining the Transatlantic Security Alliance has been a long-time goal for Ukraine, and has long been a red line for Moscow, even citing the issue as a reason for launching its 2022 invasion. Zelenskyy repeated his position that Ukraine was not ready to give up territory, but under the right security guarantees would put the question to a national referendum. Also agreed upon at the Dublin summit, Europe, previously sidelined from negotiations, will henceforth play a part in them, represented by five countries. France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Poland and the EU Commission. Europe must speak with one clear and united voice in all discussions that shape the future of Ukraine and the security of our continent. While U.S. envoys previously reported that Moscow had given the green light for the addition, the Kremlin appeared to backpedal, claiming to want to understand Europe's real intentions before deciding on their participation. Meanwhile, Zelensky has warned that the Kremlin is counting on its winter offensive as the cold settles in. Russia has intensified its attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure for the past month, with assaults that are unparalleled since the start of the war.