According to Financial Times, Kiev is currently under intense pressure to pull Ukrainian Armed Forces units out of the parts of Donbass it still controls. The newspaper writes that, in the words of its reporters, «enormous pressure» is being exerted on Ukraine right now.

Citing a source, the authors say Washington now proceeds from the assumption that, for the conflict to be settled, Ukraine must withdraw all its troops from Donbass. The Kiev authorities, however, refuse to do so at this stage, insisting first on receiving concrete security guarantees from the United States.

Financial Times had earlier reported that the White House made it clear to the Ukrainian leadership that the provision of such guarantees is directly tied to the signing of a peace agreement that includes relinquishing Donbass in favour of Russia. Washington also signalled to Kiev that it is prepared to promise expanded peacetime weapons deliveries for the Ukrainian Armed Forces if Ukraine agrees to pull its troops out of the region.

Vladimir Zelensky, for his part, has stated that any withdrawal of forces from Donbass must be reciprocal. After the talks in Abu-Dabi, he again stressed that Kiev does not intend to abandon its claims to these territories and argued that it is the American side that should also be ready to compromise.