Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently stated in an interview that the United States has set a condition for providing security guarantees to Ukraine — the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donbas region. In his opinion, fulfilling such a requirement would not only jeopardize Ukraine’s security but also pose a danger to all of Europe, as it would effectively mean handing over fortified defensive positions in the region to Russia.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“I would very much like the American side to understand that the eastern part of our country is part of our security guarantees,” he said.
Reaction from the Russian Side and Zelensky’s Comments
Russia’s special representative Kirill Dmitriev expressed satisfaction that, in his opinion, Zelensky has “finally understood that the US will provide security guarantees to Ukraine only if Ukraine withdraws from Donbas.” Dmitriev added that this position of the Ukrainian president “cannot but please him.”
At the same time, the head of the Ukrainian state emphasized that the US is currently focused on the situation in the Middle East, particularly in its confrontation with Iran. According to Zelensky, this affects the policy of US President Donald Trump, who, in his view, is choosing a path of increasing pressure on the Ukrainian side.
The White House has not commented on this situation yet. Earlier, in January, Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that Kyiv’s position on territorial integrity has not changed, and any compromises must be mutual. He also stated that bilateral security guarantees from the US are already prepared, and Kyiv is awaiting the signing of the relevant documents.
Negotiations, Positions of the Parties, and Security Guarantees
In December, Zelensky stressed that the resolution of territorial issues must occur solely based on the will of the Ukrainian people — whether in the format of elections or a referendum. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, responding to this statement, reiterated the thesis that “the entire Donbas is Russian.”
US President Donald Trump, in an interview in early March, accused Zelensky of unwillingness to conclude a peace agreement and stated that Putin is ready for compromise, but it is difficult to negotiate with the current president of Ukraine.
Zelensky, for his part, has repeatedly called on the US to exert more pressure on Russia rather than on Ukraine. He noted: “We do not trust Russia, but I think and believe that Americans really want to end this war. I hope they will help us, but it is necessary to put more pressure on Russia, not on me,” emphasized Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with Politico.
Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine, the US, and Russia have held several rounds of trilateral negotiations regarding the cessation of the war, but no specific results have been disclosed. It is only known that in February the parties agreed on a prisoner exchange — the first in the last five months. The meeting scheduled for March in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi was postponed due to the escalation of the situation in the Middle East.
Despite US diplomatic efforts, the Russian Federation shows no readiness to abandon its demands regarding Donbas, continuing to insist on territorial concessions from Ukraine. According to analysts at ISW, Russia will not agree to only partial concessions and insists on maximalist goals in this war.
Ukraine, for its part, insists on receiving reliable security guarantees from the US and European allies, necessary to prevent future aggression from Russia.