Rubio called Zelenskyʼs words that the US offered to give Donetsk region in exchange for security guarantees a “lie”

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that US security guarantees are allegedly linked to the transfer of Donetsk region to Russia.

He told reporters about this, Sky News reports.

Rubio called such claims "lies" and stated that Ukraine was allegedly informed that security guarantees could only be provided after the war ended, as otherwise it would mean direct US intervention in the conflict.

According to him, Washington did not set any conditions regarding the territories and did not demand that Ukraine give up the occupied areas in the east. At the same time, he added that the US does not make decisions for Ukraine regarding the future of the occupied territories.

"Thatʼs a lie. I saw him say it. Itʼs a shame, because he knows full well that itʼs not true. He was told that was completely wrong. I donʼt know why heʼs saying that, but itʼs just not true," he said.

He also noted that Russia insists on Ukraineʼs withdrawal from Donbas and does not agree to a ceasefire along the front line, counting on the USʼs fatigue from the negotiation process.

• The day before, Zelensky said in an interview with Reuters that the United States can provide Ukraine with the security guarantees necessary for a peace agreement only if Kyiv agrees to hand over the entire Donetsk region to Russia.

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