WASHINGTON - The United States is reportedly pressuring Ukraine to hand over the Donbas region in exchange for security guarantees, according to a Financial Times report. President Donald Trump’s administration has signaled that any U.S. guarantee will be contingent on Ukraine agreeing to a peace deal that could include ceding Donbas territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski, who met Trump in Davos last week, says he will only discuss land concessions once 100 % guarantees are secured. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly denies the U.S. is conditioning guarantees on territorial concessions, insisting its role is simply to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table. Meanwhile Russia continues to demand that Ukraine surrender towns such as Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. The situation has raised concerns among Ukrainian and European officials that U.S. tactics could force Kyiv to make painful territorial compromises. The U.S. maintains it does not pressure Moscow and that the peace agreement’s contents will be decided by Russia and Ukraine.

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