Ukraine Peace Talks News
UKRAINE – Significant progress in the Ukraine peace talks was on Monday Dec. 15 reported, with European leaders hailing the efforts as a path to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
In a statement signed by leaders including Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the European leaders said there had been “close work between Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s and President Trump’s teams as well as European teams over the recent days and weeks.”
The leaders said they had agreed to work together with Trump and Zelenskyy “to get to a lasting peace which preserves Ukrainian sovereignty and European security,” noting “strong convergence between the United States, Ukraine and Europe.”
They underlined that “ensuring the security, sovereignty, and prosperity of Ukraine was integral for wider Euro-Atlantic security” and said Ukraine deserved “a prosperous, independent, and sovereign future, free from fear of future Russian aggression.”
As part of a potential agreement to end the war, the statement outlined commitments by the US and Europe to provide “robust security guarantees and economic recovery support measures.”
These include sustained support to build Ukraine’s armed forces, which “should remain at a peacetime level of 800,000,” and the creation of a “European-led ‘multinational force Ukraine’” operating within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing and supported by the US.
The plan would also involve a US-led “ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism with international participation” and a legally binding commitment to respond to any future armed attack, potentially including “armed force, intelligence and logistical assistance.”
The leaders said they would invest in Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction and noted that “Russian sovereign assets in the European Union have been immobilized.”
They also said they “strongly support Ukraine’s accession to the EU.”
The statement reaffirmed that “international borders must not be changed by force” and that “decisions on territory are for the people of Ukraine,” once security guarantees are in place.
It added that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” and said it was now “incumbent upon Russia” to show willingness to work towards peace by agreeing to President Trump’s peace plan and a ceasefire.
Talks involving representatives of the US, Ukraine, and various European nations kicked off in Berlin Sunday as consultations on a possible end to the war continued at the highest level later in the day.
On Thursday, the EU will hold a summit to decide whether to use frozen Russian state assets to aid Ukraine.
Ukraine Peace Closer than Ever; Trump
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war was closer than at any point since the current conflict began in 2022.
“I think we’re closer now than we have been ever and we’ll see what we can do. We want to save a lot of lives,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, citing what he described as extensive and productive talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders.
Trump said he spoke with the leaders of Germany, Italy, Finland, France, UK, Poland, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands, as well as NATO, calling the conversations “very long and very good.”
The US president also said he had multiple conversations with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and believes both sides want the war to end, though he acknowledged difficulties in keeping Moscow and Kyiv aligned.
“We’ve had good talks with Russia, and I think they’d like to get back to a more normal way of life,” he added.
A US official who briefed reporters earlier had said Trump was “really pleased” with progress made in talks in Europe, adding that roughly 90% of the issues between the sides had been resolved, though key matters remain.
Officials said proposed security guarantees for Ukraine include “Article Five-like” assurances, a reference to NATO’s collective defense pledge, with Trump willing to submit these measures to the US Senate for ratification.
Since Sunday, intensive negotiations have been held in Berlin between Ukrainians, Americans, and Europeans.
Negotiators are expected to meet again this weekend, potentially in Miami, Florida, for further talks, according to officials.
