Five-Hour Berlin Meeting Fuels Hopes for Breakthrough on Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky wrapped up a lengthy round of talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Berlin on December 14, as negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine moved into a decisive phase. The discussions, which lasted more than five hours, are set to resume on the morning of December 15, according to Ukraine’s Presidential Office.

The Berlin visit comes amid renewed diplomatic activity after Washington endorsed a peace framework that initially contained 28 points and was widely criticized as placing excessive pressure on Kyiv. Following consultations with Ukrainian and European officials, the plan was revised and reduced to 20 points. The current talks are focused on refining this framework and testing whether a compromise acceptable to all sides is possible.

After the meeting, Witkoff said that “a lot of progress was made,” without offering specifics. He confirmed that discussions covered the 20-point peace plan, economic arrangements, and broader political issues. Zelensky later noted that while no proposal would satisfy everyone, any agreement must be fair, workable, and capable of preventing renewed Russian aggression.

Ahead of the talks, Zelensky made clear that Ukraine is seeking robust security guarantees comparable to NATO’s Article 5, as full NATO membership remains opposed by the United States and several allies. According to Axios, senior U.S. officials indicated that the Trump administration may be prepared to offer Congress-approved, NATO-like guarantees to Ukraine. One official stressed that the goal is to provide assurances strong enough to deter Russia, but not an open-ended commitment.

Washington has continued to push Kyiv to advance negotiations, with U.S. President Donald Trump accusing Zelensky of resisting the American-backed plan. The Ukrainian president, however, said he remains open to dialogue and emphasized that the Berlin talks are about laying the foundations for a political settlement that would finally end the war and prevent a repeat of past security failures, such as those following the Budapest Memorandum.

Last week, Ukraine and its European partners submitted their own revised version of the peace framework to Washington, seeking to soften provisions that would require far-reaching territorial or political concessions. Zelensky said Kyiv has yet to receive a formal response from the U.S., but added that discussions with American and European leaders are ongoing. During his visit, he also held or planned meetings with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European figures, while French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Zelensky by phone, reaffirming France’s long-term support for Ukraine’s security and sovereignty.

According to media reports, Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Merz are expected to take part in the Berlin discussions with Witkoff on December 15. German officials confirmed that while Merz briefly greeted participants, his foreign and security policy adviser remained to moderate the talks.

Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is not engaged in direct negotiations with Russia, with Moscow’s positions being conveyed through the United States. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Russia has not yet reviewed the Ukrainian-European revisions, but signaled that Moscow would strongly oppose any changes and remains firm on territorial demands, including its insistence that Ukraine cede all of Donetsk Oblast.

Further reading: Russian Troops Take Over Siversk, Ukraine

Addressing the situation in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky said the only fair basis for a ceasefire would be for both sides to remain where they are, with unresolved issues handled later through diplomacy. Proposals for a demilitarized or free economic zone, an idea supported by Washington, would only be acceptable if troop withdrawals were symmetrical on both sides. He described this as one of the most sensitive issues in the talks, noting that it remains unresolved as negotiations continue in Berlin.