U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has refuted statements made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the conditions for security guarantees from the United States. Rubio’s comments came during a press briefing in France following a meeting of G7 foreign ministers.
Rubio stated, “This is not true. I saw how he said it, and it is unfortunate that he did, as he knows it is not accurate, and he was told something entirely different.” He emphasized that security guarantees would only be activated after the conclusion of the ongoing conflict, warning that premature involvement would entangle the U.S. in the war.
“What is a security guarantee? It is troops ready to intervene and ensure security. If you introduce this now, it means you are intervening in the war. He was told very clearly, and he should have understood that security guarantees are provided only after the war ends. But this was not linked to him having to give up territory. I do not know why he is saying such things. It is simply not true,” Rubio remarked.
Rubio also clarified that the U.S. had communicated to Ukraine the demands put forth by Russia, but there was no discussion of territorial concessions from Kyiv. He stated, “We informed the Ukrainian side of what the Russians are insisting on. We do not advocate for this. We explained it to them. The choice remains theirs. It is not for us to decide for them.”
“Our role is to try to ascertain what both sides want and see if we can find a compromise. However, the final decision rests solely with Ukraine,” he added.
Rubio warned that if Ukraine is unwilling to make certain decisions or concessions, the conflict will persist. He noted that the same applies to the Russian side, indicating that continued hostilities would remain unless both parties are prepared to negotiate.
“If they do not want to make certain decisions or concessions, the war will continue. The same applies to the Russian side. If they are not willing to make concessions to Ukraine, the war will continue. We will continue to try to facilitate what is possible. If it is not possible, the war, unfortunately, will continue,” Rubio stated.
On March 25, Zelensky had indicated in an interview with Reuters that U.S. proposals for security guarantees were contingent upon Ukraine ceding the Donbas region to Russia. He expressed concern that U.S. focus on its own conflicts, particularly with Iran, was pressuring Ukraine into a swift resolution of the ongoing war, which began following Russia’s invasion in 2022.
In related developments, negotiations between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations took place in Miami on March 21 and 22, aimed at fostering a peace agreement. The Ukrainian delegation, led by Rustem Umerov, included key officials such as Kirill Budanov, head of the Office of the President, and David Arakhamia, head of the parliamentary faction of the Servant of the People party.
Following the first day of talks, Zelensky reported that the Ukrainian delegation had met with representatives of President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Umerov noted that discussions focused on aligning approaches for practical outcomes. Meanwhile, the Kremlin announced that the Russian side would not participate in the latest peace talks regarding the terms for ending the conflict.
On the second day of negotiations, Umerov stated that the Ukrainian team concentrated on ensuring reliable security guarantees and humanitarian issues, including the exchange and return of Ukrainian citizens.
Zelensky later indicated that he received a report from the Ukrainian delegation, mentioning signals of a potential continuation of exchanges, which he described as positive news and a sign that diplomacy is functioning.
On March 23, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff characterized the negotiations as “constructive,” focusing on key issues related to establishing a sustainable security system for Ukraine and addressing critical humanitarian measures in the region.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's assertions regarding the conditions for U.S. security guarantees. Rubio emphasized that such guarantees would only be provided after the conflict concludes, clarifying that the U.S. does not advocate for territorial concessions from Ukraine.