Russia Happy With Zelenskiy’s Take on US Donbas Deal

Russia welcomed a recent statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who said the United States will only back Ukraine’s security if the country gives up control of Donbas, according to a senior Kremlin official. Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian special envoy for U. S. talks, told reporters that Zelenskiy’s comment “makes us happy. ” He added that the president finally grasped America’s position: security guarantees hinge on Ukraine abandoning Donbas. Zelenskiy explained that President Trump was pressuring Kyiv amid the U. S. ‑Israeli tensions with Iran, hoping to end the four‑year war sparked by Russia’s 2022 invasion. He urged Washington to recognize that eastern Ukraine is integral to its own security promises and called for stronger guarantees from international partners to deter future Russian aggression.In other U. S. –Russia negotiations, Dmitriev said talks about economic cooperation are ongoing. He noted that Russia is ready to take decisive action elsewhere if necessary, citing provocations from the EU and Britain against its fleet. Russia has also warned the U. S. about Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, claiming they aim to worsen the global energy crisis. These strikes have reportedly halted more than 40 % of Russia’s oil export capacity, the most serious disruption in recent history. Despite these tensions, Dmitriev highlighted a constructive U. S. role in the EU’s decision not to seize 210 billion euros of Russian sovereign assets for a Ukrainian loan, suggesting that some cooperation remains possible.