Rubio alleges Zelensky is lying (VIDEO)

(SeaPRwire) –   The United States’ top diplomat has rejected claims from Vladimir Zelensky that Washington pressured Kiev to cede control of Donbass

US Secretary of State Marko Rubio says Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has made false statements about Washington pushing Kiev to withdraw from Donbass.

In a Reuters interview broadcast earlier this week, Zelensky alleged that the US has tied its offer of security guarantees for Ukraine to Kiev handing over all contested Donbass territory to Russia.

The Ukrainian leader bemoaned what he described as the US adhering to “a strategy of putting more pressure on the Ukrainian side” and stated that “the Americans are prepared to finalize these guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ​ready to withdraw from Donbass.”

Speaking to reporters during his attendance at the G7 meeting in Paris on Friday, Rubio outright denied these claims, bluntly calling Zelensky’s assertions a “lie,”

“That’s a lie. I saw him say that and it’s unfortunate he would say that, because he knows that’s not true,” Rubio said when asked for his reaction to Zelensky’s interview.

“What he was told is the obvious: security guarantees are not going to kick in until there’s an end to a war, because otherwise you’re getting yourself involved in the war,” he went on to add.

Rubio pointed out that US negotiators have only relayed Moscow’s position to Kiev, noting that all related decisions are left entirely to the Ukrainian leadership. He stressed that Washington has only sought to act as a mediator and to “try to figure out what both sides want and see if we can bridge the middle ground,”

The senior diplomat also warned that Washington is open to redirecting some military aid allocated for Ukraine to other areas amid the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran, if the need emerges. He noted that no such decision has been made to date.

“It could happen, and it could have always happened. If we need something for America and it’s American, we’re going to keep it for America first. But as of now, that has not happened,” Rubio stated.

The US, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of trilateral negotiations this year with no breakthrough reached. A fourth round planned for this month was ultimately put on hold due to the Iran conflict. Multiple reports show that territorial claims remain the core issue stopping the negotiations from advancing.

Kiev has repeatedly refused to make any concessions to Moscow, while Russia has maintained that any potential settlement must include recognition of the former Ukrainian regions that voted to join Russia.