United States security guarantees for Ukraine are contingent on Kyiv withdrawing its troops from the unoccupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview with Reuters.
Zelensky indicated that US President Donald Trump has opted for a strategy of pressuring Ukraine, rather than Russia, to bring the war to a swift conclusion. "The Americans are ready to finalize these guarantees at a high level as soon as Ukraine is ready to withdraw its troops from the Donbas," Zelensky said, warning that ceding strategic defensive positions would severely undermine the security of both Ukraine and Europe.
The Ukrainian leader attributed this mounting pressure to Washington's shifted focus toward its ongoing conflict with Iran. "Unfortunately, Trump, in my opinion, still chooses the strategy of increasing pressure on the Ukrainian side," he noted, explaining that the White House's push for a quick resolution in Eastern Europe is directly tied to the escalating situation in the Middle East.
Zelensky also revealed that Moscow has attempted to leverage the Middle Eastern crisis to coerce Washington. "I have reports from our intelligence services showing that Russia is doing this and stating: 'I will not transfer intelligence to Iran if America stops transferring intelligence to Ukraine.' Isn't that blackmail? Absolutely," he said.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to demand full control over the Donbas while making slow advances on the eastern front. According to Zelensky, Moscow is betting that Washington will eventually lose interest in the negotiations and withdraw from the process entirely. However, military analysts suggest it would take Russia years and massive resources to fully capture the heavily fortified Ukrainian region.
Despite the diplomatic friction and the high demand for air defense systems in the Middle East, Zelensky expressed gratitude to the Trump administration for maintaining the supply of Patriot systems following massive Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities.
"They have not stopped supplying us. I am very grateful to President Trump and his team. But these Patriot missile supplies are not as much as we need," the president emphasized.
To compensate for shortfalls, Zelensky highlighted that Ukraine is scaling up its domestic production of long-range missiles and drones, enabling retaliatory strikes deep into Russian territory.
Reflecting on his role amid complex international negotiations, the president remarked, "I am not a box of chocolates or a car that someone has to love. It is important that I suit our people and fulfill my duties."
The White House has not yet commented on Zelensky's statements. The president noted that a draft document outlining security guarantees had been ready since January—which aligns with earlier reporting by the Financial Times—but requires further revision following the latest bilateral talks.