Politics · Other · 13 hrs ago
Zelensky rejects putting Ukraine’s neutral status in constitution
President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine will not enshrine neutrality in its constitution.
He argues that neutrality would not give the country long-term security guarantees, especially since Ukraine is already outside NATO.
Russia has demanded a neutral status for Ukraine as part of ending the war, including abandoning its goal of joining NATO.
Zelensky rejects changing the constitution to meet that demand.
He also says Ukraine will not give up territory in the east; Russia demands Ukrainian forces leave the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The dispute is part of talks on ending Russia’s invasion, which began in February 2022.
US-mediated direct talks between Russia and Ukraine have resumed, raising hopes of progress.
European representatives are expected to join the next round of talks.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will not enshrine neutral status in its constitution.
He said neutrality would not provide Ukraine with long-term security guarantees.
Zelensky said Ukraine is already outside NATO and rejected a constitutional change to formalize neutrality.
Russia is seeking neutral status for Ukraine, while Ukraine continues to reject the demand.
Zelensky said peace in Ukraine should remain the priority before discussions about Europe’s security architecture.
- Who
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would reject neutral status; Russia is seeking that status for Ukraine.
- What
- Ukraine will not enshrine neutral status in its constitution. Zelensky said neutrality would not provide long-term security guarantees.
- When
- November 14, 2026, in an article reporting Zelensky’s statement.
- Where
- Ukraine; Zelensky’s remarks were reported by Interfax-Ukraine.
- Why
- Zelensky said neutrality would not secure Ukraine in the long term and would require a constitutional change.
Ukraine
Russia
Neutral status
Ukraine
Zelensky said Ukraine would not enshrine neutrality in its constitution and that it would not provide long-term security guarantees.
Russia
Russia seeks neutral status for Ukraine and a renunciation of its NATO path.
Russia began its large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which Ukraine has resisted with Western support.
Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky said the conflict had shown shortcomings in Europe’s existing security system.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said a ceasefire should come before a peace agreement and any other negotiations.
Zelensky said Ukraine would not enshrine neutral status in its constitution.
- Neutral status
- Ukraine will not enshrine it in its constitution
- Security
- Zelensky said neutrality would not provide long-term guarantees
- NATO
- Ukraine is not a member
- Russia’s demand
- Neutral status for Ukraine
- Conflict
- Russia’s large-scale invasion began in February 2022
2 sources
What people are saying
If Ukraine’s neutrality is to be enshrined, that will not happen. We are not in NATO now anyway. If neutrality simply means that we are not in NATO, we are already in that status. So what would work for our long-term security?