Ukraine Refuses Donbas Withdrawal as U.S. Pushes for Deal with Russia

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected a proposal to withdraw Ukrainian forces from the Donbas region in exchange for security guarantees from the United States. In interviews with Le Monde and Reuters, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine’s defensive positions in the region are themselves a key element of national security. Zelensky indicated that fortifications in Donbas should not be traded for alternative guarantees, suggesting that such a move would weaken Ukraine’s overall security posture rather than strengthen it. U.S. Pressure in Negotiations According to Zelensky, Washington has proposed formalizing high-level security guarantees if Ukraine agrees to withdraw its forces from Donbas. However, he made clear that Kyiv is not prepared to accept such conditions.