U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine are being tied to Kyiv ceding the eastern Donbas region to Russia as part of a potential peace deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Reuters in an interview published Thursday.

“The Americans are prepared to finalize these guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ready to withdraw from Donbas,” Zelenskyy said, describing a proposal he warned could undermine both Ukraine’s defenses and broader European security.

But a U.S. official, speaking on background, told Fox News Digital the claim is false.

Zelenskyy’s comments point to growing pressure from President Donald Trump to reach a swift end to the war, now in its fourth year following Russia’s 2022 invasion. 

ZELENSKYY SAYS PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE AFTER TRUMP MEETING BUT TERRITORY REMAINS STICKING POINT

Zelenskyy suggested the administration’s approach is influenced in part by competing global crises, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

“The Middle East definitely has an impact on President Trump,” Zelenskyy said. “President Trump, unfortunately, in my opinion, still chooses a strategy of putting more pressure on the Ukrainian side.”

Talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine have taken place in Abu Dhabi and Geneva in 2026, but key issues remain unresolved, including how Ukraine’s future security would be guaranteed and who would fund its long-term defense.

Zelenskyy warned that abandoning Donbas would hand Russia heavily fortified Ukrainian defensive lines, weakening Kyiv’s position and potentially enabling future aggression.

“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.

ZELENSKYY CLAIMS TRUMP SAID US WILL CONSIDER GIVING UKRAINE DECADES OF SECURITY GUARANTEES

Russian President Vladimir Putin has long insisted that full control of Donbas is central to Moscow’s war aims. While Russian forces have made gains, analysts cited by Reuters say progress has been slow, and capturing the remaining territory could take significant time and manpower.

Zelenskyy also warned that Moscow is betting Washington will lose interest if negotiations stall. 

“Russia is counting on the fact that the United States will not have the strength or patience to bring this to an end,” he said.

Despite tensions over negotiations, Zelenskyy thanked the Trump administration for continuing deliveries of Patriot missile defense systems, which Ukraine relies on to intercept Russian ballistic missiles. 

“Deliveries to us were not stopped. I’m very grateful to President Trump, and to his team,” he said, while adding that supplies remain insufficient.

In parallel with the diplomatic push, Zelenskyy signaled a broader strategy to expand Ukraine’s role as a security provider, particularly in the Middle East, where countries are seeking solutions to large-scale drone and missile threats.

UKRAINE PEACE TALKS PRODUCTIVE AS EX-GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS COUNTRY RETHINKING ‘UNCOMPROMISING’ STANCE

“The United States has reached out to us regarding their bases in Middle Eastern countries,” Zelenskyy wrote on X Thursday, adding that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait have also approached Ukraine.

He said Ukrainian teams are already on the ground sharing operational experience, particularly in countering mass drone attacks. 

“No matter how many Patriots, THAADs, or other air defense systems are in the Middle East, that alone is not enough,” he wrote. “There are modern interceptors designed to counter heavy drone strikes.”

Zelenskyy also indicated Ukraine is exploring defense trade arrangements, offering to sell surplus systems and expertise while seeking access to air defense missiles it currently lacks. 

“Funding is the scarcest resource today,” he wrote, noting Ukraine’s defense industry is operating at roughly half capacity and needs additional financing to scale drone production.

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In separate posts tied to an address at a Joint Expeditionary Force summit, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine’s battlefield experience could play a broader role in European and global security.

“We have this experience. … Let’s bring all of this together even more,” he wrote, calling for deeper cooperation with European partners and warning that the continent must build its own capacity to produce air defense systems rather than rely on external suppliers.

Reuters contributed to this story.

The Israeli military has issued expanded leave-or-die threats for Lebanese residents, mandating that all individuals south of the Zahrani River relocate north immediately. An Israeli spokesperson warned that those who fail to comply “may endanger their lives due to Israeli military activity.”

This directive represents a significant escalation in Israel’s forced evacuation threats targeting alleged Hezbollah positions. The forced evacuation zone now extends from the Litani River to areas beyond the Zahrani River, approximately 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of the Israeli border. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, these orders cover more than 1,470 square kilometres (568sq miles) – about 14 percent of Lebanon’s territory – and affect more than 100 towns and villages.

At the same time, Israeli ground forces are bolstering their presence in southern Lebanon, with officials stating the goal is to establish a “buffer zone.”

The humanitarian impact has been devastating. Within just two weeks, more than 18 percent of Lebanon’s population – more than one million people – has been displaced. Data from the International Organization for Migration indicates that 1,049,328 individuals have been registered as displaced, with 132,742 residing in overcrowded collective shelters. As shelter capacities are overwhelmed, many families have no choice but to sleep on streets, in vehicles, or in public spaces.

The crisis has also prompted a significant exodus from Lebanon. In the past two weeks, more than 250,000 people have fled the country, marking a 40 percent increase since late February. By March 17, more than 125,000 individuals – nearly half of them children – had crossed into Syria. While the majority are Syrian nationals, approximately 7,000 Lebanese citizens have also fled.

Further complicating the threatened civilians’ efforts to flee, Israel has destroyed bridges across the Litani River, cutting off vital infrastructure that connects southern Lebanon to the rest of the country.