Zelensky: The Berlin talks achieve real progress in security guarantees for Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr said Zelensky His conversations are in Berlin with US envoys regarding a possible settlement of the dispute with Russia was "Not easy"but it resulted in real progress in Security guarantees, at a time when European leaders proposed deploying a European-led multinational force to support Ukraine.
For the second day in a row, Zelensky held discussions with the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, the US President’s son-in-law, as part of efforts to reach an agreement to end the war that broke out with the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, based on a proposal submitted by Washington.
Zelensky explained that progress had been made with regard to security guarantees, but he acknowledged the continued differences with The American side on the territorial issue, saying: "There are complex issues, especially related to land, and our positions are still different"
This comes in light of American pressure demanding regional concessions from Kiev, which the Ukrainian leadership rejects.
Major legal and material guarantees
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed optimism that a real peace process could be achieved, welcoming what he described as an American offer that includes strong security guarantees for Ukraine, and stressing that any ceasefire must be supported by major legal and material guarantees from the United States and Europe.
In A remarkable development: The leaders of major European countries and the European Union proposed, in a joint statement issued in Berlin, the deployment of a multinational force in Ukraine under European leadership, with contributions from volunteer countries, and with American support. The statement indicated that this force may number about 800,000 members, and it will, under American supervision, monitor the ceasefire and verify compliance with it, while calling on Russia to accept an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Positive talks in Berlin
In Washington, US President Donald Trump announced that he would later make a phone call with Zelensky and a number of European leaders meeting in Berlin, including French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in addition to Other European leaders, the Secretary General of NATO and the President of the European Commission.
US officials confirmed that the talks in Berlin were positive, noting that the proposed agreement includes very strong security guarantees similar to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, but without Ukraine officially joining the alliance.
They made clear that these guarantees are on the table now but will not remain indefinitely.
Moscow’s conditions
On the other hand, Moscow is sticking to its conditions, most notably Ukraine’s ceding of territory and stopping its efforts to join NATO.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is waiting for Washington to inform it of the concept being discussed in Berlin.
Meretz stressed, in concluding his positions, that support for Ukraine will continue in the face of what he described as"Criminal attack" Russian, stressing that "The fate of Ukraine is the fate of all of Europe"And that lasting peace can only be achieved with a free Ukraine capable of defending itself.
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