Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky elaborated on his understanding of Washington’s position about security guarantees for Ukraine after US secretary of state Marco Rubio called his previous statement on the issue “a lie”.

On Friday, Zelensky said the US security guarantees for Kyiv were conditional on Ukraine’s full withdrawal from Donbas.

However, Rubio said this was “a lie”.

“I saw him say that, and it’s unfortunate he would say that, because he knows that’s not true and that’s not what he was told,” the US secretary of state said.

“What he was told is the obvious: Security guarantees are not going to kick in until there’s an end to the war, because otherwise you’re in — you’re getting yourself involved in the war,” Rubio elaborated.

Zelensky clarified his remarks yesterday stating an “end to the war” is synonymous with Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donbas.

He said as he understands it that Russia “will end the war only after the withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the entire territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.”

“We will be able to get security guarantees from the United States not until the ceasefire, not until the end of the war. And after our troops leave Donbas, that these are conditions for the end of the war,” the Ukrainian president said.

Authorities in the ​capital of the southern Russian region of Dagestan declared a state of emergency on Saturday after heavy rainfall led ⁠to widespread flooding and power cuts in the region.

“Emergency services have been placed on high alert, efforts are under way to deal with ⁠the aftermath, and ​assistance ⁠will be provided to affected residents,” the Makhachkala city administration said on Telegram.

Ukraine on Saturday agreed to cooperate on defence with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar as president ⁠Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to both countries amid escalating tensions in the region.

Qatar’s defence ministry said in a statement on Saturday that Doha and Kyiv have signed a defence cooperation agreement which includes the exchange of expertise in countering missiles and unmanned aerial systems.

“We are talking about a 10-year ⁠partnership. We have already signed the agreement with ​Saudi ⁠Arabia, and we have just signed a similar 10-year agreement with Qatar,” Zelensky told reporters during an online briefing.

“We will also sign a 10-year agreement ⁠with the UAE. It will happen within the next several days.”

Zelensky had earlier ​been to ⁠the UAE and met President Sheikh ‌Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the two countries agreed to cooperate in the fields of security and defence.

The US-Israeli war on Iran has killed more than ‌2,000 people, upended global markets and effectively shut the ‌Strait of Hormuz.

Ukraine’s military struck a major Russian oil refinery in Yaroslavl, north-east of Moscow, in an overnight attack, the Ukrainian General Staff said on Saturday.

It said in a statement that the attack caused a fire at the site of the refinery, which is critical for the Russian army’s logistics.

Volodymyr Zelensky is sharing Ukraine’s experience with countries in the Gulf in order to defend against Iran.

He explained in a post on X on Saturday: “Ballistic missile and drone attacks are currently the biggest challenge here in the region. And while only air defense systems can effectively counter ballistic threats, in Ukraine, we have developed other, significantly more cost-effective solutions to combat drones.

“These solutions have already proven their effectiveness against various types of drones, which is why Qatar is so interested in our experience. Ukraine has always said that we are ready to share our expertise and help those who can also help us strengthen our own protection in Ukraine.”

President Volodymyr Zekensky has provided an update following talks this week with Gulf countries including Qatar as they are hit by Iranian drone attacks.

“Our experts have already conducted an overall assessment of the security situation, Qatar’s capabilities to counter aerial threats, and have developed concrete solutions to strengthen the protection of its airspace,” the Ukrainian leader wrote in a post on X on Saturday.

“And today, during my meeting with the Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, it was important for me to hear such a high assessment of our team’s work and appreciation for their consultations.”

He added: “Qatar is ready for long-term cooperation across various areas. It is important to restore stability in the region so that no one suffers from Iran’s terrorist strikes. And we support an approach where, by helping one another, we increase security worldwide.”