US President Donald Trump has said an agreement to end Russia’s war on Ukraine is “closer than ever” following high-level talks held in Berlin, even as major differences remain over territorial issues and security guarantees.
Speaking in Washington on Monday, Trump said he had held long discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and NATO. He said European leaders shared a strong desire to see the war come to an end.
The talks, held over two days in Berlin, brought together Zelenskyy, a US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and senior European leaders. The discussions took place amid growing pressure from Washington for Ukraine to consider concessions as part of a possible peace deal.
Zelenskyy described the negotiations as difficult but productive, stressing that Ukraine needs clear and reliable security guarantees before making any decisions about territorial control.
In a joint statement after the talks, European leaders said they and the United States were committed to working together to provide strong security guarantees for Ukraine. These include plans for a European-led multinational force, backed by the US, that could operate inside Ukraine, help rebuild its military, secure airspace and improve maritime safety.
Officials said Ukrainian forces should remain at a peacetime strength of about 800,000 personnel. US officials described the proposed guarantees as similar to NATO’s Article 5 commitment, though Ukraine would not formally join the alliance.
Ukraine has previously signalled it could drop its bid to join NATO in exchange for firm Western security assurances. However, Kyiv remains cautious, citing past guarantees that failed to prevent Russia’s invasions in 2014 and 2022.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US had offered significant legal and material guarantees during the Berlin talks. He added that only Ukraine can decide on any territorial concessions.
Merz also called on the European Union to agree on using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, warning that failure to act could weaken Europe’s credibility.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, fighting continued. Ukraine said Russia launched more than 150 drones overnight, while Moscow reported shooting down Ukrainian drones over its territory. Ukraine also claimed its underwater drones struck a Russian submarine in the Black Sea.
Russia said President Vladimir Putin remains open to peace talks but rejected temporary ceasefires without firm agreements.
European leaders are expected to continue discussions as disagreements remain over the structure of a final settlement and the balance between peace and long-term security.
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