Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy says US has linked security guarantees to ceding of Donbas

Zelenskyy said the Trump administration has made security guarantees for a Ukraine peace deal conditional on Kyiv ceding the Donbas region to Russia, according to a Reuters interview. The Ukrainian president attributed the pressure to the US focus on its conflict with Iran, saying Trump is pushing Ukraine toward a quick end to the four-year war triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion. Zelenskyy argued that retaining the eastern Donbas should be part of any security arrangement, rejecting the framing that territorial concessions are necessary for a deal. The disclosure reveals a fundamental rift over peace terms between Washington and Kyiv, with Trump seeking rapid de-escalation while Ukraine seeks to preserve sovereignty over contested territory. The statement marks an escalation in public criticism of US negotiating positions by Ukraine's leadership.