Zelensky: The US offered security guarantees in exchange for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Donbas

The US has offered security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a peace agreement with Russia on the condition that Kyiv cedes Donbas to Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated this in an interview with Reuters.

"The Americans are ready to finalize these guarantees at a high level as soon as Ukraine is ready to leave Donbas," he said.

According to him, the situation in the Middle East is influencing the decisions of US President Donald Trump, who is seeking to quickly end the four-year Russian-Ukrainian war by pressuring Kyiv: "And I think it will also affect his further steps. Unfortunately, in my view, President Trump continues to choose a strategy of increasing pressure on the Ukrainian side."

Zelensky warned that withdrawing troops from Eastern Donbas would jeopardize the security of both Ukraine and Europe in the future, as it would mean handing over the region's powerful defensive positions to Russia.