Ukraine, Europe, and US delegations discuss proposals to end Russia’s invasion, Berlin, Germany, December 14, 2025

EA on Pat Kenny Show and TVP World: Zelensky-Europe Face Trump’s Envoys in Berlin

EA VideoCasts with Times Radio and War and Politics 24: Why The Defense of Ukraine Matters

Sunday’s Coverage: Zelensky and Europeans to Meet Trump’s Envoy Witkoff

UPDATE 1958 GMT:

European leaders have welcomed “significant progress” in “Trump’s efforts to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”, agreeing to work with the US and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky “to get to a lasting peace with preserves Ukrainian sovereignty and European security”.

The statement, issued by the German government, said the leaders are looking to “provide robust security guarantees and economic recovery support measures for Ukraine”.

They called for “sustained and significant support for Ukraine to build its armed forces” — at a peacetime level of 800,000 soldiers rather than the 600,000 in the initial Kremlin-Witkoff-Kushner proposal — “to be able to deter conflict and defend Ukraine’s territory”.

“A European-led Multinational Force Ukraine” will be involved “inside Ukraine” in “assisting in the regeneration of Ukraine’s forces, securing Ukraine’s skies, and supporting safer seas”.

A “US-led ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism with international participation” will “provide early warning of any future attack” and be able to attribute any breach to de-escalate the situation.

The leaders seek “a legally binding commitment” to “take measures to restore peace and security in the case of a future armed attack”, through the use of armed forces, intelligence, and logistical, economic, and diplomatic actions.

Implicitly rejecting Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Donetsk region, they say, “International borders must not be changed by force.” Any decisions must be taken by the people of Ukraine, and only once “robust security guarantees are in place”.

The statement also envisages “investing in the future prosperity of Ukraine,” and supporting Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

The leaders emphasize, “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed and that all parties must work intensively towards a solution that could assure a lasting end to the fighting.”

They call upon Russia “to show willingness to work towards a lasting peace” and say they agreed to “continue to increase pressure on Russia to bring Russia to negotiate as soon as possible”.

UPDATE 1719 GMT:

At a joint press conference alongside Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has welcomed “productive discussions” with “a great deal of diplomatic momentum” to end Russia’s invasion. There is “a chance for a real peace process for Ukraine”.

Merz said the talks are still in “early stages” but “perhaps for the first time” during the invasion, a ceasefire is possible.

The Chancellor hailed US proposals on “legal and material” guarantees for Ukraine, which he called “remarkable”.

He pushed back on the Witkoff-Kushner demand for Ukrainian withdrawal from the Donetsk region. “It is the Ukrainian people who have defended their territory for almost four years,” he noted, and only they can decide on any changes.

Zelensky said he feels “that our partners hear Ukraine and are ready to help”. But he emphasized security guarantees must be workable, and Ukraine needs a clear understanding on what they are before it takes any “painful” decisions on frontlines and territories.

UPDATE 1600 GMT:

In a press conference in Berlin, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has said talks with Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were “not easy” but they were productive.

A US official said negotiations were “very positive” with “90%” of the issues resolved. However, there is still a “final decision on territory” which will “be up to Ukraine”.

Security guarantees and the use of frozen Russian funds for reconstruction were also discussed. The official said Russia is open to Ukraine joining the EU.

The US side said they expect Russia will accept the agreement.

UPDATE 1555 GMT:

The European Union has imposed sanctions on companies and individuals accused of helping Russia to circumvent Western sanctions on Moscow’s oil exports.

The EU listed Valery Kildiyarov, finance director of Litasco Middle East DMCC, a trading subsidiary of Russia’s State energy giant Lukoil. Anar Madatli, Talat Safarov, and Etibar Eyyub were blacklisted over ties to trading firm Coral Energy, renamed 2Rivers Group. Also cited is Canadian-Pakistani oil trader Murtaza Lakhani, CEO of trading company Mercantile & Maritime.

The EU has sanctioned a total of more than 2,600 individuals and companies.

UPDATE 1527 GMT:

Ukraine’s military says it has struck a series of targets inside Russia.

A submarine was hit in the port of Novorossiysk in southwest Russia, knocking it out of operation.

Explosions were reported a gas processing plant in Astrakhan in southern Russia, and the Kamensky missile fuel plant in the Rostov region in the southwest.

UPDATE 1525 GMT:

Rustem Umerov, the Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, has posted of “constructive and productive” talks with “real progress achieved”.

“We hope we will reach an agreement that will bring us closer to peace by the end of the day,” he said.

Umerov’s press secretary later clarified that no specific agreement is expected. Instead, the Ukraine-Europe and US sides hope to align their positions.

Ukrianian officials pushed back against claims from unidentified sources, possibly including a report from an “official briefed on the discussions” who said Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are still insisting on Ukraine’s withdrawal from all of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east of the country.

First Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya warned against “mischaracterizing” Washington’s approach and said the US “remains fully engaged in the peace process”.

“Every team listens carefully to each other. The Ukrainian position is very clear. The anonymous sources aren’t correct,” Kyslytsya said.

Umerov said there “is a lot of noise and anonymous speculation in the media right now” and warned against “rumors and provocations”.

UPDATE 1321 GMT:

The talks between Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and Donald Trump’s envoys in Berlin have ended.

Zelensky will meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag Speaker Julia Klöckner, attend a meeting of the German-Ukrainian Economic Forum, and have talks and a press conference with Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

This evening he will review the discussions in a dinner with European leaders and the heads of the European Union and NATO.

An “official briefed on the discussions” said Trump’s envoys and Kremlin collaborators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are still insisting on Ukraine’s withdrawal from all of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east of the country.

“It’s a bit striking that the Americans are taking the Russians’ position on this issue,” the official said.

UPDATE 1105 GMT:

“One person briefed on Sunday’s talks” between Ukraine President Voldomyr Zelensky, European leaders, and Donald Trump’s envoys described them as “difficult”.

They said real estate developer Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner appeared unwilling to compromise.

UPDATE 1057 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has met Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb in Berlin:

UPDATE 0904 GMT:

European Union foreign policy head Kaja Kallas has commented on Ukraine’s suspension of its bid for NATO membership in return for security guarantees from the international community:

Countries want to be in NATO because they don’t want Russia to invade them, to attack them. And that’s why Sweden and Finland joined NATO. That’s why the Baltic states joined NATO, to have this defense umbrella, really.

Now, if this is not in question [for Ukraine], or this is out of the question, then we need to see what are the security guarantees that are tangible. They can’t be papers or promises. They have to be real troops, real capabilities, so that Ukraine is able to defend itself.

Kallas cited the necessity of pushing back the Kremlin’s demand for all of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, “We have to understand that Donbas is not Putin’s endgame. If it gets dominated, then we have to defend ourselves.”

In a TV interview, Russia’s Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin made clear that Moscow will accept nothing less than Ukraine’s “surrender”.

UPDATE 0557 GMT:

Ukraine has carried out a missile strike on a thermal power plant in the Belgorod region in western Russia.

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the missile hit around midnight, causing “significant damage to utility infrastructure”. Preliminary reports indicated no casualties.

The Luch Combined Heat and Power Plant, run with natural gas, is one of Belgorod’s main power and heating plants.

The plant was also struck on September 28 and October 5, leading to power outages in parts of the Belgorod region.

UPDATE 0550 GMT:

A cyclist has been murdered by a Russian drone attack on the Sumy region in northeast Ukraine.

The 62-year-old man died at the scene. Emergency services were unable to assist because of Russian drones in the area.

A pre-trial investigation had been launched into the commission of war crimes.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and European partners are entering a second day of talks with Donald Trump’s envoys in Berlin on Monday.

Sunday’s discussions lasted more than five hours. Zelensky was accompanied by German Chancellor Freidrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. They faced real estate developer Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, both of whom worked with the Kremlin in late October on an ultimatum to Kyiv.

That ultimatum called for Russia’s seizure of the 22% of the Donetsk region which Ukraine controls, and keeping the rest of Ukraine militarily and politically weak.

A European counter-proposal pushed back those demands. The revised proposal from the Trump camp does not give Donetsk to Russia; however, it seeks Ukraine’s withdrawal to establish a 30-km (19-mile) demilitarized zone. There is no requirement for a Russian pullback from occupied territory.

Reinforcing the European counter-proposal, Zelensky said on Sunday that he is seeking a ceasefire on the current frontlines. Ukraine is suspending its ambition of joining NATO in return for “[NATO] Article 5-like” security guarantees to end Russia’s invasion.

A US readout gave no details of the talks: