Secretary of State Rubio Disputes Ukraine Leader’s Land Deal Claims

Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly refuted Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's allegations that the U.S. is demanding Ukraine surrender territory to Russia in exchange for security guarantees. Rubio called the claims false and said America is only relaying Russian demands, not advocating for them.

PARIS (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio forcefully rejected claims made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the Trump administration is requiring Ukraine to surrender its eastern Donbas territory to Russia as a condition for receiving U.S. security assurances in any potential ceasefire agreement.

Following a Group of Seven summit in France on Friday, Rubio addressed reporters and firmly contradicted Zelenskyy’s recent statements, emphasizing that America has imposed no such conditions during negotiations with Ukraine.

“That’s a lie,” Rubio stated. “And I saw him say that. And it’s unfortunate he would say that because he knows that’s not true and that’s not what he was told.”

During a Reuters interview published earlier this week, Zelenskyy claimed Washington was linking its security guarantee offer to Ukraine’s willingness to abandon the Donbas region, an industrial area that Russian President Vladimir Putin has long sought to control. While Russian military forces control most of this territory, they have yet to capture a heavily defended section along the front lines.

According to Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump seeks to conclude the Ukrainian conflict as America concentrates on its confrontation with Iran.

“The Americans are prepared to finalize these guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ​ready to withdraw from Donbas,” Zelenskyy told Reuters.

Rubio countered these allegations, explaining that the U.S. has simply communicated Russia’s position without endorsing it. He clarified that security guarantees would only be possible once hostilities cease, and America remains committed to facilitating peace negotiations.

“We’ve told the Ukrainian side what the Russians are insisting on,” he explained. “We’re not advocating for it. We’ve explained it to them. It’s their choice to make. It’s not for us to make for them. We’ve never told them they have to take it or leave it. The role we have played is to try to figure out what both sides want, and see if we can bridge the middle ground.”

Ukraine’s presidential office chose not to address the conflicting accounts.

Putin seeks complete Ukrainian withdrawal from the Donbas region, which experts say would provide Moscow with a permanent strategic position to menace other Ukrainian territories.

Rubio mentioned that American officials met with Ukrainian representatives in Florida the previous week, though no additional discussions are currently planned. He also confirmed that while no U.S. military equipment destined for Ukraine has been redirected to Middle East operations, such diversions remain possible if required.

“If we need something for America and it’s American, we’re going to keep it for America first,” Rubio declared. “But as of now, that has not happened.”

The Associated Press previously reported that American Patriot missile defense systems have been relocated from European positions to the Middle East as Washington shifts resources toward its Iranian conflict. Zelenskyy has cautioned that Kyiv will “definitely” experience Patriot system shortages due to the Iranian war.