President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 27 that he does not believe the U.S. would support a full Ukrainian withdrawal from four of its partially occupied regions, a demand repeatedly raised by Russia, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.
"What's written in the ultimatums doesn't matter if we're talking about more than just a piece of paper; we're talking about what could lead to the first step: a ceasefire," Zelensky told journalists, according to the news agency.
"I think that even at the highest level, the United States today will not support Ukraine withdrawing from the territories" controlled by Ukraine, he continued, adding that Kyiv does not want Washington to walk away from the peace efforts.
Russia again rejected Kyiv and Western partners' calls for an unconditional ceasefire during recent peace talks in Istanbul, insisting instead that Ukraine must withdraw its forces from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts.
Moscow illegally declared the annexation of the four regions in September 2022, despite not controlling them fully. Russia continues to occupy roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean peninsula illegally annexed in 2014.
As the Trump administration has sought to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, it has reportedly offered wide-ranging concessions to Moscow, including a potential recognition of its control over Crimea and the lifting of sanctions.
At the same time, U.S. officials have signaled opposition to Russia's demand for Ukraine's withdrawal from the Ukrainian-held territories. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on May 7 that Russia is "asking for too much," underscoring Washington's growing frustration with Moscow's delays.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his aides have warned that the U.S. would exit the negotiations if progress is not achieved soon.
Kateryna Hodunova
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