Zelenskyy: US ties guarantees to Donbas withdrawal

The United States is making security guarantees for Ukraine conditional on its withdrawal from the entire Donbas, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Reuters in an interview. According to him, Washington is pushing for a swift end to the war, with President Donald Trump increasing pressure in particular on Kyiv.

Zelenskyy warned that surrendering the Donbas would undermine the security of both Ukraine and Europe, as Russia would gain important defensive positions. He added that Moscow is also counting on the US losing interest in negotiations over time.

The Ukrainian leader stressed that the country needs strong security guarantees to prevent renewed fighting. He said the agreement with the US is not yet finalised.

Zelenskyy also thanked the US for the continued supply of Patriot air defence systems, although the quantity remains insufficient. At the same time, Ukraine is increasing production of its own missiles and drones, which it is also using to strike targets in Russia.

(reuters, lud)