Talks Between Ukraine and the US on a Ceasefire Begin in Berlin

A meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, along with Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump, began this afternoon in Berlin, DW reports.

The talks between the Ukrainian and American delegations are also attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

“We have begun our meeting,” Zelensky briefly announced on the social media platform Telegram.

Ahead of the talks, Zelensky wrote on X that the most important issue is ensuring mechanisms that guarantee security.

“It is crucial that all steps we agree on with our partners actually work to provide guaranteed security,” he wrote. “Only reliable guarantees can bring peace. We expect our partners to continue working constructively,” he added.

Ukrainian officials emphasize that Western security guarantees are a prerequisite for any potential ceasefire with Russia, fearing the possibility of renewed attacks in the future.

Zelensky once again rejected the option of ceding Ukrainian territory to Russia in exchange for a peace agreement with Moscow. On the other hand, Russia continues to demand that Ukraine withdraw from the entire eastern Donbas region, including areas not currently under Russian control, setting this as a key condition for any agreement.