Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says negotiators remain divided over key territorial issues in a US-brokered peace plan aimed at ending Russia’s nearly four-year war against Ukraine.
In a phone interview with Bloomberg News, cited on Monday, Zelensky said talks have stalled over proposed territorial concessions, particularly regarding the future status of eastern Ukraine. Elements of the U.S. proposal still require detailed discussion on a range of “sensitive issues,” including long-term security guarantees for Ukraine and control over its eastern regions.
“There are visions of the US, Russia and Ukraine — and we don’t have a unified view on Donbas,” Zelensky told Bloomberg, referring to the industrial heartland that has been at the center of the conflict since 2014 and remains partially occupied by Russian forces.
Based on the report, Kyiv is pushing for a separate, binding agreement on security guarantees from Western allies, particularly the United States, to ensure Ukraine is protected in the event of renewed Russian aggression after any ceasefire. US officials, meanwhile, say they are close to finalizing a draft deal, though neither Ukraine nor Russia has yet signaled readiness to sign it.
Zelensky is currently in London for talks with the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany, seeking to rally European support as Washington increases pressure on Kyiv to accept the emerging framework. For now, however, the Ukrainian president’s message is clear: without agreement on Donbas and credible security guarantees, there is no final accord on the table.
Image: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a meeting with his French, British and German counterparts in London on December 8, 2025.
