Zelenskyy ready to drop NATO membership demand amid ongoing Ukraine-Russia peace efforts

U.S. officials are optimistic about a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to drop the demand for NATO membership. This has opened discussions for European security guarantees with U.S. backing, though territorial disputes in the Donbas region remain unresolved. Russia demands control over the entire Donbas, where it currently holds 90%, while Ukraine, holding 10%, refuses to concede territory not taken by force. Despite progress on security guarantees, the territorial issue continues to hinder peace efforts.