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

U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine are being tied to Kyiv ceding nan eastbound Donbas region to Russia arsenic portion of a imaginable bid deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Reuters successful an question and reply published Thursday.

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

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

Zelenskyy's comments constituent to growing pressure from President Donald Trump to scope a swift extremity to nan war, now 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 nan administration’s attack is influenced successful portion by competing world crises, including nan ongoing conflict involving Iran.

U.S. information guarantees for Ukraine are being tied to Kyiv ceding nan eastbound Donbas region 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 effect connected President Trump," Zelenskyy said. "President Trump, unfortunately, successful my opinion, still chooses a strategy of putting much unit connected nan Ukrainian side."

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

Zelenskyy warned that abandoning Donbas would manus Russia heavy fortified Ukrainian protect lines, weakening Kyiv’s position and perchance enabling early aggression.

"I would very overmuch for illustration nan American broadside to understand that nan eastern portion of our country is portion of our information guarantees," he 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 protect 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 opportunity advancement has been slow, and capturing nan remaining territory could return important clip and manpower.

Zelenskyy besides warned that Moscow is betting Washington will suffer liking if negotiations stall. 

"Russia is counting connected nan truth that nan United States will not person nan spot aliases patience to bring this to an end," he said.

Despite tensions complete negotiations, Zelenskyy thanked nan Trump administration for continuing deliveries of Patriot rocket defense systems, which Ukraine relies connected to intercept Russian ballistic missiles. 

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

In parallel pinch nan negotiated push, Zelenskyy signaled a broader strategy to grow Ukraine’s domiciled arsenic a information provider, peculiarly successful nan 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 worker prepares a funeral vault astatine subject cemetery extracurricular of nan 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, nan United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait person besides approached Ukraine.

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

"No matter really galore Patriots, THAADs, aliases different aerial defense systems are successful nan Middle East, that unsocial is not enough," he wrote. "There are modern interceptors designed to antagonistic dense drone strikes."

Zelenskyy besides indicated Ukraine is exploring defense waste and acquisition arrangements, offering to waste surplus systems and expertise while seeking entree to aerial defense missiles it presently lacks. 

"Funding is nan scarcest assets today," he wrote, noting Ukraine’s defense manufacture is operating astatine astir half capacity and needs further financing to standard drone production.

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

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

"We person this experience. … Let’s bring each of this together moreover more," he wrote, calling for deeper practice pinch European partners and informing that nan continent must build its ain capacity to nutrient aerial defense systems alternatively than trust connected outer suppliers.

Reuters contributed to this story.