Zelensky Begins Talks in Berlin with Trump Envoys to Discuss Ending the War with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday began talks in the German capital, Berlin, with envoys of U.S. President Donald Trump, as part of an intensive diplomatic effort to end the ongoing war with Russia, now entering its fourth year.

Zelensky’s delegation had held talks on Sunday lasting more than five hours with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the U.S. president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Witkoff later announced on the platform “X” that the talks had achieved “significant progress,” noting that discussions would resume on Monday morning.

The meetings are being held at the German Chancellery amid tight security measures. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to host a dinner on Monday evening bringing together Zelensky, a number of European leaders, and representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Meanwhile, the Kremlin stressed that Ukraine remaining outside NATO constitutes a “fundamental basis” for any negotiations aimed at ending the conflict. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that this issue is “one of the core matters requiring specific discussions.”

The Trump administration is pushing for a political settlement, while Kyiv and its European allies seek to avoid an agreement that could grant Moscow strategic gains. Disagreements revolve around complex issues, most notably the future of the disputed territories, security guarantees for Ukraine, and the possibility of freezing the front lines.

Zelensky expressed hope that Washington would support the option of a ceasefire by freezing the situation on the ground rather than offering territorial concessions, particularly regarding the Donbas region. However, informed sources indicated that the United States continues to push toward concessions concerning the disputed territories.

These efforts coincide with European attempts to establish a long-term financing mechanism for Ukraine, including consideration of using frozen Russian assets, at a time when field escalation has seen an increase in attacks on Ukrainian areas in recent days.