Zelenskyy fires back at Rubio's accusations of lying: What Washington is demanding.

Ukraine's President speaks out

According to TSN.ua: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has responded to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's claims that he lied about the conditions for receiving American security guarantees. Zelenskyy denied that Washington had demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas in exchange for such assurances, calling the allegations baseless. This exchange highlights ongoing tensions in U.S.-Ukraine relations as both sides navigate complex wartime diplomacy.

According to Zelenskyy, it is Russia—not the United States—that is pushing for Ukrainian forces to pull out of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. He also stressed that the U.S. has made it clear it will only provide security guarantees after the war ends. The president noted that he discussed these guarantees with Donald Trump, but emphasized that no formal agreements had been signed before the conflict's conclusion.

Rubio's reaction

In his statement, Zelenskyy said: 'It sounds absolutely straightforward: we will be able to get security guarantees from the U.S. not before a ceasefire, not before the war ends, but after our troops withdraw from Donbas.'

This remark drew a sharp response from Marco Rubio, who denied that Washington had ever demanded a troop withdrawal from Donbas. 'That's a lie… It's unfortunate he said it, because he knows it's not true! That's not what he was told,' Rubio stated.

The back-and-forth between Zelenskyy and Rubio underscores the delicate nature of diplomatic negotiations amid the war in Ukraine. Security guarantees remain a pressing issue, as both sides seek to clarify their positions while external pressures from Russia and the U.S. continue to evolve.

This public disagreement between Kyiv and Washington reveals a clear divergence in how each side interprets the conditions tied to American security commitments. The stakes are high: these statements could shape future diplomatic efforts and negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict. With ongoing military operations and political maneuvering, the question of security remains central to regional stability.