19:19 10-05-2026

Ushakov: Donbass Withdrawal Key to Ukraine Peace Deal

Yury Ushakov says Ukraine peace talks cannot move forward without Ukrainian troop withdrawal from Donbass, despite further negotiation rounds.

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said the Ukraine conflict cannot be settled unless Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donbass.

He stressed that even dozens of additional negotiation rounds would not move the situation forward if this central issue remains unresolved. According to Ushakov, previous talks have already brought the sides to a point where further progress depends on one party taking a fundamental step. Only after that, he said, would conditions emerge for subsequent agreements.

Ushakov also argued that Kiev understands the inevitability of such a decision and will eventually have to accept it.

Earlier, Vladimir Zelensky said the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbass would be a strategic defeat for Ukraine. He stated that the United States is prepared to discuss security guarantees only after this condition is met, a demand supported by Russia. Zelensky, however, considers this format unworkable.

Later, U. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied Zelensky’s claim, saying Washington is not pressuring Kiev to pull Ukrainian forces out of the Donbass areas it currently controls.