Washington's position was revealed ahead of the Munich Security Conference, which is taking place this year against a backdrop of a deep diplomatic deadlock.
Citing European and American officials, Politico reported that the Donald Trump administration does not intend to use this issue as leverage against Volodymyr Zelensky. However, the US president wants to see the final picture before attaching his signature.
"He wants a lot of things baked and approved before the actual signing," a senior administration official stated, referring to the security guarantees. "He doesn't want to just sign a document if it somehow hinders further peace negotiations. What's the point then?"
Territory remains the main stumbling block. Russia is strictly insisting on control over the entire Donbas, including areas it has not captured. Ukraine, in turn, refuses to cede territories it currently holds. The diplomatic process is effectively blocked, despite both sides being "dug deep" into their positions.
The US, Russia, and Ukraine plan to hold another meeting next week, possibly in Miami or Abu Dhabi. American officials hope for some progress at these talks. However, Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is forced to split his time between negotiations on Iran and Ukraine, complicating shuttle diplomacy efforts.
European leaders are also skeptical. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze noted a lack of serious intent from the Kremlin.
"So far, my conclusion is this: Russia is still trying to obtain through so-called peace negotiations those results that it cannot achieve on the battlefield," she emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelensky plans to use the platform in Munich to call for increased pressure on Russia and to demonstrate unity with Europe. In correspondence with journalists, he indicated he would emphasize the need for air defense systems and joint weapons production. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president is counting on the Trump team's desire to close a deal quickly: Washington is pressuring both Kyiv and Moscow to end the war by early summer due to the upcoming US midterm elections.
Ukrainian Member of Parliament Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze expressed Kyiv's general mood regarding the prospects of dialogue with the aggressor.
"Russia cannot be persuaded into peace," she stated. "Russia can only be forced into peace by pressure, and that is exactly what should likely be used now as an approach to the Russian Federation."
Earlier, Zelensky explained in an interview with The Atlantic why Ukraine would not accept a "bad deal."
