Significant progress was reported during a meeting in Berlin between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and representatives discussing the cessation of hostilities initiated by Russia. This was announced by Steven Witkoff, special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, on December 14 through the social media platform X.
Witkoff highlighted that consultations between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations on a potential ceasefire lasted for more than five hours. Trump's advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner also participated in the discussions.
According to Steven Witkoff, the parties thoroughly discussed a 20-point roadmap leading to peace, as well as various economic and security issues. The meeting was initially attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who later left the negotiations, leaving a representative in his place.
“We desire a stable and lasting peace in Ukraine. Challenging issues lie ahead, but we are determined to move forward,” Friedrich Merz posted on social media.
It was reported that the negotiations will continue on December 15. According to AFP, leaders of European countries, along with representatives of the European Union and NATO, are also expected to join the discussions later in the evening.
Earlier, Reuters reported that Zelenskyy, in an off-the-record discussion with journalists, expressed readiness for certain compromises regarding peace. Specifically, Ukraine is considering accepting legally binding security assurances from the U.S. and European countries instead of pursuing NATO membership.
Additionally, Zelenskyy stated on December 14 that freezing combat activities along the current frontline could be viewed as a relatively fair solution. The Russian side, on the other hand, has repeatedly demanded that Kyiv withdraw its troops from certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The negotiations in Berlin are being viewed as a step toward resolving the prolonged conflict through political means.
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