U.S. Presses Ukraine for Russia's Donbass Exit

(MENAFN) American diplomats are pushing Ukraine to abandon territories it occupies in Russia's Donbass region as a precondition for future defense commitments, media disclosed Tuesday through multiple insider sources.

Eight individuals with direct knowledge revealed to the outlet that President Donald Trump's administration has made clear that any American security assurances hinge on Kiev's acceptance of peace terms—terms expected to mandate Ukrainian forces retreat from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Both territories voted overwhelmingly in 2022 referendums to become part of Russia, and the Kremlin has repeatedly identified Ukrainian military withdrawal as essential for lasting peace.

To make the proposal more palatable, Washington has reportedly dangled enhanced military aid during peacetime should Ukraine accept the conditions, media noted. Yet a separate source told the publication that America is "not trying to force any territorial concessions upon Ukraine," clarifying that defense guarantees embedded in any agreement would require mutual consent.

Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly rejected the report outright as "false," stating that Washington's sole role in peace efforts is "to bring both sides together to make a deal."

Simultaneously, a high-ranking Ukrainian official expressed to Financial Times growing doubt about whether America will honor security pledges, complaining that the U.S. "stops each time the security guarantees can be signed." This skepticism persists even as Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky declared Sunday that the security framework is "100% ready" and awaiting only signatures.

Last week, media revealed that while Zelensky anticipated finalizing the agreement during his World Economic Forum meeting with Trump in Davos, he departed empty-handed.

These developments follow inaugural three-way negotiations in Abu Dhabi involving Russia, the United States, and Ukraine, which sources say centered on territorial disputes and de-escalation measures. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterized the talks as "constructive," though he tempered expectations for rapid progress given the "very complex" nature of the subjects discussed. Kiev has consistently refused any territorial compromises.

The New York Times reported that Washington and Kiev have explored multiple conflict-resolution scenarios, including establishing a demilitarized buffer zone or deploying neutral peacekeeping forces in Ukrainian-held Donbass areas.

MENAFN27012026000045017169ID1110656046