Analysts: Ukraine Weighs Donbass Withdrawal for Western Security Guarantees
Analysts told The New York Times that Zelensky faces pressure to weigh Donbass concessions in exchange for U.S. and European security guarantees against future Russian attacks.
Ukraine’s political leadership may be prepared to withdraw troops from Donbass in exchange for security guarantees backed in part by the United States, according to analysts cited by The New York Times.
The report described President Vladimir Zelensky as facing a difficult choice: accept an unpopular step by conceding territory, or risk damaging ties with U. S. President Donald Trump. Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Prystaiko remarked that Kiev might have no choice but to «swallow this poisoned pill» and then deal with the consequences.
Figures within Ukraine’s political establishment emphasized that any territorial concessions would only be possible under firm international guarantees. These conditions include the deployment of a European military contingent and direct U.S. air support. Such measures, they argue, would act as a deterrent against potential future attacks from Russia.
The publication concluded that Ukraine now finds itself in a position where compromise over territory could become the price for long-sought Western security assurances.