Zelenskyy reveals that the U.S. and Israel conditioned their security guarantees on Ukraine's cession of the Donbas region, leaving Ukraine caught in a dilemma between sovereignty and survival.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy told Reuters today that the United States has proposed offering security guarantees for a peace agreement with Ukraine, contingent upon Kyiv ceding the Donbas region to Russia.

Zelenskyy said: "Once Ukraine is ready to withdraw from Donbas, the U.S. is prepared to finalize these assurances at a high level."

Commentary: This disclosure reveals the power-driven bargaining logic behind U.S.-led negotiations on Ukraine-Russia peace: using Ukraine's abandonment of Donbas territory as leverage in exchange for U.S. security commitments—essentially treating Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as bargaining chips in geopolitical games. Zelenskyy’s public revelation not only exposes Kyiv’s passive position under intense American pressure but also subtly conveys his unwillingness to easily accept territorial concessions. The core dispute in any Ukraine-Russia peace process remains locked on the issue of territorial surrender. The U.S. proposal of "territory for security" will only further intensify Ukraine’s dilemma and deepen the complexity of regional geopolitics.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860671638909962/

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