Rubio Rejects Zelensky’s Claim That US Linked Security Guarantees to Ukraine’s Withdrawal From Donbas
The US secretary of state Washington never tied Ukraine’s security guarantees to a withdrawal from Donbas, while leaving open the possibility that weapons earmarked for Kyiv could be redirected.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday flatly rejected President Volodymyr Zelensky’s claim that Washington had linked future security guarantees for Ukraine to giving up the Donbas, saying the Ukrainian leader had misunderstood the message.
“I saw him say that, and it’s unfortunate he would say that, because he knows that’s not true,” Rubio said in Paris after talks with G7 foreign ministers.
Ukraine wants US-backed security guarantees as part of any peace deal to guard against future Russian aggression, while Moscow is demanding that Kyiv withdraw even from parts of the Donbas that Russian forces have been unable to capture.
Rubio said the US had made clear that security guarantees could only come after the war ends, not while active fighting continues. “What he was told is the obvious: security guarantees are not going to kick in until there’s an end to the war, because otherwise you’re getting yourself involved in the war,” Rubio said.
He insisted that was not the same as demanding territorial concessions from Kyiv. “I don’t know why he says these things. It’s not true,” Rubio said.
At the same time, Rubio declined to spell out Washington’s own position on Donbas, saying only that US officials had explained “what the Russians are insisting on” and that any decision was “up to Ukraine.”
European officials gathering in France for a G7 meeting of foreign ministers are expected to confront Washington over Moscow’s alleged backing for Tehran, among other issues.
“We’ve told the Ukrainian side what the Russians are insisting on. We’re not advocating for it,” Rubio said. “We’ve explained it. It’s their choice to make. It’s not for us to make for them.”
He added that Washington’s role was to test whether any middle ground exists between the two sides. “We’ve never told them they have to take it or leave it,” Rubio said. “The role we have played is to try to figure out what both sides want and see if we can bridge the middle ground.”
On Wednesday, Zelensky said in an interview with Reuters that “the Americans are prepared to finalize these [security] guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ready to withdraw from Donbas.”
Zelensky warned that such a withdrawal would compromise the security of both Ukraine and, by extension, Europe, by handing the region’s strong defensive positions to Russia.
“I would very much like the American side to understand that the eastern part of our country is part of our security guarantees,” he said, according to Reuters.
Weapons for Ukraine could still Be shifted
Rubio said there had not yet been any change in Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), a NATO initiative in which European countries purchase weapons for Ukraine from the US.
“Well, it hasn’t happened yet. Nothing yet has been diverted, but it could,” Rubio said. “I mean, frankly, these are not diverted weapons. These are our weapons; these are sales. These are military sales through PURL paid for by NATO.”
He said the arrangement could still change if Washington decided the weapons were needed elsewhere.
“If the United States has a military need, whether it is to replenish our stocks or that fulfills some mission in the national interest of the United States, we’re always going to come first when it comes to our stuff,” Rubio said.
European officials at the G7 meeting in France voiced concern that the war in Iran could divert attention, resources and critical munitions away from Ukraine. Diplomats warned that the Middle East conflict risks stretching US military capacity and shifting focus from Kyiv at a crucial stage in the war, reinforcing fears that Ukraine could be sidelined as Washington manages multiple crises.
Russia losing troops faster than it can replace them
Rubio also said Washington still wanted to see an end to the war, though no new meetings with either side were currently scheduled.
“Obviously that war goes on, and it’s a very unfortunate war,” Rubio said. “The loss of life there is tremendous. The Russian side in particular is losing – I think they’re losing now more soldiers than they’re recruiting.”
Rubio’s assessment broadly aligns with other reporting from early 2026 suggesting Moscow is struggling to replace battlefield losses. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in February that Russia had suffered around 65,000 losses over the prior two months, while Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 13 that Russian battlefield losses had exceeded replenishment for three consecutive months.
Rubio downplays Russian support for Iran
Rubio also brushed aside concerns about increased Russian support for Iran, saying Moscow’s role had not affected the US campaign.
“There is nothing Russia is doing for Iran that is in any way impeding or affecting our operation or the effectiveness of it,” Rubio said.
Asked why sanctioned Russian lawmakers had recently been allowed to visit the US, Rubio said the trip had been scheduled earlier and described the move as limited. Only four were authorized to come, he said, adding that engagement between nuclear powers remained necessary at the governmental level.
“Russia’s still a powerful country with nuclear weapons and it is important for nuclear powers to have some engagement,” Rubio said. “I don’t think that was a major concession in any way.”
Sevinj Osmanqizi is a journalist covering US foreign policy, security, and geopolitics, with a focus on the broader post-Soviet space. She reports on Washington’s decision-making and its implications for Ukraine and regional stability.
