Zelenskyy Says US Pressured Ukraine to Relinquish Territory in Exchange for Security Guarantees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that the United States urged Ukraine to abandon claims to territories currently under Russia control, promising security guarantees in return. Zelenskyy emphasized that while Ukraine is open to compromise, it will not cede its territories.

“Our American friends are preparing security guarantees. But they said: first this exchange of territories, or something like that, and then security guarantees,” Zelenskyy said. “I believe security guarantees must come first.” He stressed that any compromise must not allow Russia to “quickly recover and come again and occupy us.”

The president referenced the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, under which Ukraine relinquished Soviet-era nuclear weapons in exchange for assurances of security, sovereignty, and independence. Zelenskyy said Ukraine received none of the promised protections, highlighting the importance of credible guarantees this time. He noted that any new guarantees would require a US congressional vote and argued that signing such a document would send a strong signal of support from both the United States and European allies if Russia attacks again.