White House denies linking Ukraine security guarantees to territorial concessions

The Financial Times, citing eight people familiar with the course of negotiations, reported the information.

Specifically, as part of a potential deal, Washington also reportedly proposed providing Ukraine with additional weaponry to strengthen its army during peacetime, on the condition that Kyiv agrees to withdraw its forces from areas of the eastern region it currently controls as part of an agreement with Russia.

Zelenskyy had hoped to sign security guarantee documents and a post-war "prosperity plan" with the United States this month, which Kyiv intended to strengthen its position in future negotiations with Moscow. However, according to the FT, Washington is now signaling that its security commitments depend on reaching a peace agreement with Russia.

Ukrainian and European officials have characterized this position as an attempt to force Kyiv into painful territorial concessions that Moscow demands in any settlement scenario. Meanwhile, the U.S. has not yet given final approval to any of the proposed agreements.

A senior Ukrainian official stated that they held back every time security guarantees could be signed.

According to Reuters, in response to the Financial Times publication, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated that claims about U.S. pressure on Ukraine are false.

"This is totally false — the US's only role in the peacemaking process is to bring both sides together to make a deal," she emphasized. She added that it was unfortunate that the Financial Times allowed bad actors to anonymously spread false information to derail the peace process, which after the historic tripartite meeting in Abu Dhabi that weekend was at an excellent stage.

A person familiar with the U.S. position noted that Washington "is not trying to force any territorial concessions upon Ukraine." According to this source, the U.S. believes that security guarantees depend on whether both sides agree to a peace deal, while the content of that deal should be determined by Ukraine and Russia.

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine is preparing for new tripartite meetings involving American and Russian delegations this week.