Latest Ukraine-Russia war: Zelensky says US initiated Donbass NATO membership proposal as he disputes SpaceX claims about Starshield

The US approach to peace in Ukraine is rife with double standards and hypocrisy, writes Keir Giles. Russia will exploit hesitation and weakness – making the situation worse instead of better.

A large fire broke out overnight on Saturday at an industrial facility in Nizhnekamsk, in Russia’s Tatarstan region, amid reports of a Ukrainian drone attack on the city’s industrial zone.

Residents reported seeing drones and an attack on one of the facilities, while images shared by Osint showed a large fire with several fires in the industrial area. The Telegram channel Exilenova+ identified the Nizhnekamskneftekhim petrochemical complex, owned by SIBUR, as a likely target.

The plant, located about 1,200 km from Ukraine, produces synthetic rubber, plastics and other petrochemical products.

Russia said its forces struck a cargo ship and port infrastructure in Chornomorsk, in Ukraine’s Odessa region, on Saturday.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the ship was used to transport supplies for the Ukrainian military and that facilities used to unload military cargo were also hit, according to the official RIA Novosti news agency.

US negotiators asked whether Ukraine would withdraw from the eastern Donbass region in exchange for joining NATO, President Zelensky said.

“The Americans asked the question: ‘What if Ukraine joined NATO? Would Ukraine withdraw from Donbas?’ This was the first time this issue was raised,” Zelensky told reporters on Saturday.

He insisted that kyiv was not ready to cede its territory, but said he would put the issue to a national referendum if Ukraine received a comprehensive package of security measures, including firm guarantees, a strong and properly financed army and money for reconstruction.

Zelensky said the proposal meant NATO membership was “back on the agenda”, but acknowledged it would be difficult to reach a deal given Vladimir Putin’s opposition to Ukraine joining the alliance.

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused SpaceX of maintaining speed restrictions on Starshield, its military-oriented satellite communications system, saying they leave Ukrainian forces less able to intercept Russian drones.

The restrictions have been in effect for five days, with terminals in Russian-occupied territory capped at 161 km/h, he said.

“We don’t think that’s the case,” Zelensky told reporters Saturday, rejecting SpaceX’s explanation that the problem was technical.

He also warned that restricting service in the occupied territories amounted to partially recognizing these areas as no longer Ukrainian. “If you impose restrictions on it, you are already partially recognizing the temporarily occupied territories as not ours,” he said.

Ukraine’s envoy to Washington, Denys Sienik, told RFE that restrictions were widespread. SpaceX has denied making any changes to its service.