Ukraine and U.S. divided over territory after intense negotiations

"The U.S. officials said Monday that the sides were approaching an agreement on security guarantees, which would be based on NATO's Article 5. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - who spent seven hours with Trump's advisers in Berlin over the past two days - confirmed the sides still had "different positions on territory." Between the lines: The U.S. plan calls for Ukraine to pull back from the roughly 14% of the Donbas region which it controls, but which Russia has claimed."

"In the latest draft, that would become a demilitarized "free economic zone." Zelensky has publicly questioned why Russia would not simply move in once Ukraine's troops withdraw, and has also said only the Ukrainian people could agree to territorial concessions, possibly through a referendum. Speaking at the end of Monday's talks in Berlin, Zelensky said he did not believe the U.S. was "demanding" Ukraine cede the territory in question, but passing on Russia's demands."

"A U.S. official also said it would be up to Ukraine to decide how to handle the territorial issue. But the official also said the rest of the U.S. offer - including the strongest security guarantees put forward to date - "will not be on the table forever." One of the U.S. officials said "90%" of the issues had been resolved between the U.S. and Ukraine, but some of the outstanding matters require technical discussions."

U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators are approaching an agreement on security guarantees anchored to NATO's Article 5. Zelensky met for hours with U.S. advisers and confirmed divergent positions on territorial control. The U.S. proposal would have Ukraine withdraw from roughly 14% of Donbas now under Ukrainian control and convert that area into a demilitarized free economic zone. Zelensky warned that Russian forces could move in after a Ukrainian withdrawal and said any territorial concessions must be approved by the Ukrainian people, potentially via referendum. U.S. officials say territorial decisions rest with Ukraine and that the security offer may not remain available indefinitely. Additional technical and military working-group talks are planned in the United States.

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