U.S. Secretary of State Rubio Accuses Zelenskyy of Lying About Security Guarantees

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lied when he claimed American security guarantees for Kyiv were conditional on withdrawing Ukrainian forces from the Donbas region.

Rubio made the remarks on March 27 while speaking to journalists at Le Bourget airport near Paris, where he was attending a meeting of G7 foreign ministers. He expressed strong disapproval of Zelenskyy's assertion.

"That is a lie," Rubio said, according to a statement from the U.S. State Department. "I saw him say it. It is unfortunate that he said it because he knows it's not true. That is not what he was told."

The Secretary of State clarified the U.S. Position, explaining that while security guarantees would not take effect until the war ended, this was not linked to a specific demand for territorial concessions.

"He was told the obvious: security guarantees will not come into force until the war is over. But it was not tied to the condition: 'unless he gives up territory.' I don't know why he says such things. It's simply untrue," Rubio stated.

Rubio emphasized that the United States had merely relayed Russian demands to Ukraine but had never advocated for Kyiv to cede territory. He stressed that any decisions ultimately rest with Ukraine itself.

"We never told them they had to accept this," Rubio said. "Ultimately, the decision rests with Ukraine. If they do not want to make certain decisions or certain concessions, then the war will continue."

The controversy stems from statements by President Zelenskyy in late March, in which he claimed the U.S. Was making promised security guarantees dependent on Ukraine handing over Donetsk Oblast to Russia.

The issue is central to ongoing diplomatic efforts, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated since at least autumn 2025 that a condition for ending the war is the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas.

In a related development, when asked if weapons intended for Ukraine could be redirected to the Middle East, Secretary Rubio acknowledged this was a possibility.

"Well, that hasn't happened yet. Nothing has been redirected so far, but it is possible... This is our weaponry; these are sales. These are military sales through the PURL program, paid for by NATO," Rubio explained.

He added that American resources would always be prioritized for U.S. Needs first—a principle he described as true for any nation concerned with its own survival.