The Donbas issue has become a condition for US guarantees to Ukraine – FT
27 January 15:17
The administration of US President Donald Trump has made it clear to Ukraine that security guarantees from Washington depend on whether Kyiv agrees to a peace deal, which is likely to include the transfer of Donbas to Russia.
This was reported by the Financial Times (FT) newspaper, citing eight sources, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Two of them specified that Washington also promised Kyiv additional arms supplies for support in peacetime if Ukraine fulfills this condition.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hoped to sign documents with the US on security guarantees and a post-war “prosperity plan” this month, which would give Kyiv leverage for further negotiations with Moscow, the FT recalled. However, Washington made it clear that US security commitments depend on Kyiv reaching an agreement with Russia. Zelensky claimed that the text of the security guarantees he discussed with Trump in Davos was “100 percent ready.”
According to one Ukrainian official, it is unclear whether the US will make specific commitments.
“They stop every time there is an opportunity to sign security guarantees,” the source told the newspaper. Meanwhile, Ukraine wants confirmation before giving up a number of territories, the newspaper explains.
White House: The statement is not true
Meanwhile, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly denied the claims made in the article. “This is completely untrue — the US’s only role in the peace process is to bring both sides together to reach an agreement,” she said.
“It is very unfortunate that the Financial Times is allowing malicious and anonymous lies to be spread in order to disrupt the peace process, which is in an excellent stage after the historic trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi last weekend,” Kelly added.
Another source familiar with the US position said that Washington “is not trying to impose any territorial concessions on Ukraine.” “The US has stated that security guarantees depend on both sides agreeing to a peace deal, but the content of the peace deal depends on Russia and Ukraine.”
Experts in Ukraine: Russia is using Donbas as a springboard for an offensive
The administration of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not comment on the situation. A senior official in Kyiv, in turn, noted that the US “is using guarantees <...> to push Ukraine” to make concessions that, in their opinion, could “force Russia to the negotiating table.”
Meanwhile, a number of Ukrainian officials and military analysts have expressed the opinion that if Russia crosses the Donbas, it will give its forces a springboard for an offensive deep into Ukraine.
Trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi
Two days of closed-door talks between the US, Ukraine, and Russia took place on January 23-24 in Abu Dhabi. The Kyiv delegation was led by Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. The meeting was also attended by Kirill Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Russia was represented in the UAE by officials from the Ministry of Defense, led by Igor Kostyukov, Chief of the General Staff.
The delegations of the three countries held direct consultations on the US peace plan for the first time since the start of the war. Shortly before the start of the talks, Moscow confirmed its demand for the withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from the entire Donetsk region, including territories not currently controlled by Russia. Ukraine categorically refuses to do so.
A new round of trilateral talks between delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the US will take place in Abu Dhabi on February 1, Zelensky said. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a new meeting will take place this week, but did not specify the exact date.
