Marco Rubio Accuses Zelensky of Lying About the Negotiations Between Ukraine, Russia and the U.S.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of lying after the Ukrainian leader claimed the Trump administration was conditioning U.S. security guarantees on Ukraine withdrawing from the Donbas region, escalating tensions between Washington and Kyiv during fragile peace negotiations with Russia.

Speaking to reporters during a diplomatic trip to Europe, Rubio directly rejected Zelensky's comments about the negotiations and appeared visibly frustrated by the growing public dispute between the two allies.

"That's a lie," Rubio said. "And I saw him say that, and it's unfortunate he would say that because he knows that's not true and that's not what he was told."

Rubio insisted the United States never demanded that Ukraine surrender the eastern Donbas region in exchange for future protection from Washington. Instead, he said U.S. officials explained that security guarantees could only begin after active fighting stops.

"What he was told very clearly is that the security guarantees come only after there is an end to the war," Rubio said. "If you put that in place now, that means you're injecting yourself in the war."

The clash erupted after Zelenskyy suggested earlier this month that the United States was prepared to finalize security guarantees only if Ukraine withdrew troops from the Donbas, the industrial eastern region partially occupied by Russia since 2014.

Donbas has become one of the most sensitive issues in the negotiations. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly demanded control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of any peace settlement. Russia illegally annexed the territories in 2022, though Ukraine still controls parts of both regions.

Rubio said Washington merely communicated Moscow's demands to Kyiv rather than endorsing them.

"We've told the Ukrainian side what the Russians are insisting on," Rubio said. "We're not advocating for it."

The unusually blunt exchange is part of the growing strains between the Trump administration and Zelenskyy as the White House pushes harder for a negotiated end to the war. President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued he can broker a peace deal quickly, while some European allies fear Washington may pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions.

Russia currently occupies roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory more than four years after launching its full-scale invasion in 2022. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions, and transformed global security politics across Europe and NATO.