August M
The future of eastern Ukraine is emerging as the central fault line in efforts to end the war, with US officials acknowledging that territorial questions remain unresolved despite renewed diplomacy.
Washington believes progress has narrowed to a single, difficult issue — the status of Donetsk — even as negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow continue.
According to the Kyiv Post, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that territorial claims over Donetsk are now the main obstacle to a peace agreement.
Territory at the core
Rubio said active work is under way to reconcile Ukrainian and Russian positions on Donetsk, but warned the issue would be especially hard for Kyiv.
“The one remaining item… is the territorial claim on Donetsk,” Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “It’s still a bridge we haven’t crossed.”
He said such matters are easier to negotiate away from constant public scrutiny, given the domestic political pressure they create, particularly in Ukraine.
US pressure questioned
The comments come amid reports that Washington is linking its future role to concessions by Kyiv. The Financial Times reported that the Trump administration has indicated US security guarantees would depend on Ukraine first agreeing to a peace settlement that could involve relinquishing control of the Donbas region.
Ukraine, according to the report, wants firm US security assurances before any territorial compromise.
The report also said Washington has applied limited pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to retreat from his demands.
US President Donald Trump told reporters this week that “very good things are happening on Ukraine and Russia,” without offering further details.
Talks continue quietly
Ukraine and Russia held their first in-person negotiations under Trump’s peace initiative last Friday and Saturday in Abu Dhabi. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the talks as “constructive,” while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said “significant work” still lay ahead.
A third round of negotiations is expected later this week.
Ukraine’s delegation was led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and included senior political, military and intelligence figures.
Russia was represented by a team headed by Igor Kostyukov, chief of the GRU military intelligence service, with additional participation reported by investigative outlet Agentstvo.
Envoys step aside
Rubio also said that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will not take part in the next round of talks, though he did not rule out a US presence.
“Russia and Ukraine are going to follow up talks again this week,” Rubio said. “There might be a US presence, but it won’t be Steve and Jared.”
The shift underscores Washington’s evolving role as negotiations narrow to what Rubio described as the most politically sensitive issue of the war.
Sources: Kyiv Post, Financial Times
