Zelenskyy claims US tied Ukraine security guarantees to giving up Donbas, White House denies

U.S. information guarantees for Ukraine are being tied to Kyiv ceding the eastbound Donbas portion to Russia arsenic portion of a imaginable bid deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Reuters successful an interrogation published Thursday.

"The Americans are prepared to finalize these guarantees astatine a precocious level erstwhile Ukraine is acceptable to retreat from Donbas," Zelenskyy said, describing a connection helium warned could undermine some Ukraine’s defenses and broader European security.

But a U.S. official, speaking connected background, told Fox News Digital the assertion is false.

Zelenskyy's comments constituent to increasing unit from President Donald Trump to scope a swift extremity to the war, present successful its 4th twelvemonth pursuing Russia’s 2022 invasion. 

ZELENSKYY SAYS PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE AFTER TRUMP MEETING BUT TERRITORY REMAINS STICKING POINT

Zelenskyy suggested the administration’s attack is influenced successful portion by competing planetary crises, including the ongoing struggle involving Iran.

U.S. information guarantees for Ukraine are being tied to Kyiv ceding the eastbound Donbas portion to Russia arsenic portion of a imaginable bid deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.  (Pavlo Bahmut/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"The Middle East decidedly has an interaction connected President Trump," Zelenskyy said. "President Trump, unfortunately, successful my opinion, inactive chooses a strategy of putting much unit connected the Ukrainian side."

Talks betwixt the United States, Russia and Ukraine person taken spot successful Abu Dhabi and Geneva successful 2026, but cardinal issues stay unresolved, including however Ukraine’s aboriginal information would beryllium guaranteed and who would money its semipermanent defense.

Zelenskyy warned that abandoning Donbas would manus Russia heavy fortified Ukrainian antiaircraft lines, weakening Kyiv’s presumption and perchance enabling aboriginal aggression.

"I would precise overmuch similar the American broadside to recognize that the eastbound portion of our state is portion of our information guarantees," helium said.

ZELENSKYY CLAIMS TRUMP SAID US WILL CONSIDER GIVING UKRAINE DECADES OF SECURITY GUARANTEES

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that abandoning Donbas would manus Russia heavy fortified Ukrainian antiaircraft lines.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agelong insisted that afloat power of Donbas is cardinal to Moscow’s warfare aims. While Russian forces person made gains, analysts cited by Reuters accidental advancement has been slow, and capturing the remaining territory could instrumentality important clip and manpower.

Zelenskyy besides warned that Moscow is betting Washington volition suffer involvement if negotiations stall. 

"Russia is counting connected the information that the United States volition not person the spot oregon patience to bring this to an end," helium said.

Despite tensions implicit negotiations, Zelenskyy thanked the Trump medication for continuing deliveries of Patriot rocket defence systems, which Ukraine relies connected to intercept Russian ballistic missiles. 

"Deliveries to america were not stopped. I’m precise grateful to President Trump, and to his team," helium said, portion adding that supplies stay insufficient.

In parallel with the diplomatic push, Zelenskyy signaled a broader strategy to grow Ukraine’s relation arsenic a information provider, peculiarly successful the Middle East, wherever countries are seeking solutions to large-scale drone and rocket threats.

UKRAINE PEACE TALKS PRODUCTIVE AS EX-GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS COUNTRY RETHINKING 'UNCOMPROMISING' STANCE

A cemetery idiosyncratic prepares a burial vault astatine subject cemetery extracurricular of the metropolis of Dnipro, Ukraine connected May 25, 2023. (Seth Herald/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

"The United States has reached retired to america regarding their bases successful Middle Eastern countries," Zelenskyy wrote connected X Thursday, adding that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait person besides approached Ukraine.

He said Ukrainian teams are already connected the crushed sharing operational experience, peculiarly successful countering wide drone attacks. 

"No substance however galore Patriots, THAADs, oregon different aerial defence systems are successful the Middle East, that unsocial is not enough," helium wrote. "There are modern interceptors designed to antagonistic dense drone strikes."

Zelenskyy besides indicated Ukraine is exploring defence commercialized arrangements, offering to merchantability surplus systems and expertise portion seeking entree to aerial defence missiles it presently lacks. 

"Funding is the scarcest assets today," helium wrote, noting Ukraine’s defence manufacture is operating astatine astir fractional capableness and needs further financing to standard drone production.

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Service members of the onslaught UAV platoon of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces power an FPV drone with optical fibre guidance, with a parcel containing items attached, for transportation to their brothers‑in‑arms astatine a presumption successful the frontline municipality of Kostiantynivka, amid Russia’s onslaught connected Ukraine, successful Donetsk region, Ukraine, Feb. 17, 2026.  (Iryna Rybakova/Press Service of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Reuters)

In abstracted posts tied to an code astatine a Joint Expeditionary Force summit, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine’s battlefield acquisition could play a broader relation successful European and planetary security.

"We person this experience. … Let’s bring each of this unneurotic adjacent more," helium wrote, calling for deeper practice with European partners and informing that the continent indispensable physique its ain capableness to nutrient aerial defence systems alternatively than trust connected outer suppliers.

Reuters contributed to this story.