The United States has informed EU officials that Ukraine must sign a peace deal before it can receive security guarantees, Politico reports. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the administration views security guarantees as a priority, but as a separate issue from the broader peace negotiations. Kiev, however, has insisted that it should first secure post-conflict assurances from its Western allies before agreeing to any agreements with Moscow. The proposed US peace plan, which includes significant concessions from Ukraine, has sparked a counter-proposal from Kiev and its European backers, who view the draft as favoring Moscow.