Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy resumed negotiations with U.S. envoys in Berlin on Monday, following a day of intense diplomatic discussions aimed at ending Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two. Zelenskiy met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner after five hours of talks on Sunday, while other European leaders held parallel meetings in the German capital.
Ukraine indicated it might abandon its long-held goal of joining NATO if it could secure binding Western security guarantees. However, it remains unclear how much progress was made on this or other critical issues, including the future of Ukrainian territory and whether Russia would agree to a ceasefire. Zelenskiy acknowledged on X that “a great deal of work [is] under way on the diplomatic track,” without providing further details. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that Ukraine’s NATO membership is a fundamental question and that Moscow expects updates from the U.S. following the Berlin negotiations.
Domestically, Zelenskiy faces significant pressure. A poll released Monday by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed that 75% of Ukrainians reject major concessions in any peace deal, although 72% would accept a plan freezing the current front line with limited compromises. Most Ukrainians consider any proposal involving territorial concessions or limits on Ukraine’s military without clear security guarantees “completely unacceptable.” Trust in the U.S. dropped to 21% from 41% last December, while confidence in NATO fell to 34% from 43%, complicating Zelenskiy’s efforts to balance public support with diplomatic negotiations.
The Berlin talks coincide with a pivotal week for European diplomacy. The EU is preparing for a summit on Thursday to decide whether it can underwrite a massive loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian central bank assets. EU foreign ministers met in Brussels to impose new sanctions on Russia’s shadow oil tanker fleet, though last-minute trade negotiations with Latin America risk undermining a unified show of strength. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen emphasized the stakes, saying, “We must take a decision to ensure Ukraine is in a position to continue its freedom fight and to show the rest of the world that Europe is a strong player.”
Finnish President Alexander Stubb, closely involved in the negotiations, expressed cautious optimism, telling Dutch television, “We’re probably closer to a peace agreement than we have been at any time during these four years.” Negotiators are reportedly working on three key documents: a 20-point peace framework, security guarantees for Kyiv, and a reconstruction plan for Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and the leaders of Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden were expected in Berlin on Monday to support the diplomatic push.
