Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed willingness to drop Ukraine's NATO aspirations in exchange for Western security guarantees. But he rejected the U.S. push for ceding territory to Russia.

Ukraine has relinquished its ambition of joining the NATO military alliance in exchange for Western security guarantees as a compromise to end the war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said ahead of talks with U.S. envoys in Berlin.

President Zelenskyy’s comments mark a major shift for Ukraine, which has fought hard to join NATO in recent years.

Former Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said after the Ukraine war, Europe must be ready for further Russian aggression.

During negotiations with U.S. envoys over a potential Ukraine-Russia peace deal, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday offered to drop Ukraine's NATO aspirations. Zelenskiy had said security guarantees from the United States, Europe and others instead of joining NATO was a compromise from Ukraine.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on Wednesday introduced a bill that would pull the United States out of the NATO alliance. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said she would co-sponsor the bill,

Secretary-General Mark Rutte chastised some allies for moving too slowly when it comes to ramping up defense spending.

As Georgia balances its aspirations to join NATO against mounting pressure from the Russian Federation, a new security partnership is taking shape in the South Caucasus.