Donbas in exchange for security guarantees: Rubio denies Zelensky's statements

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected remarks by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky regarding security guarantees in exchange for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

According to Ukrinform, he said this during a press conference.

Rubio assured that Zelensky had been told something entirely different. According to him, it was explained that security guarantees "are not going to kick in until the end of the war."

He also added that security guarantees imply the presence of troops ready to intervene and ensure security.

"But that was not attached to 'unless he gives up territory.' I don't know why he says these things," Rubio said.

As Ukrinform reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the United States was offering Kyiv security guarantees in exchange for withdrawing Ukrainian troops from non-occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

According to members of the negotiating team who returned from the United States, there is currently no real movement toward peace on Russia's part.

President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously stated that Ukrainian troops would not withdraw from Donbas and would not abandon the 200,000 Ukrainians living there.