President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered to drop Ukraine's aspirations to join the NATO military alliance as he held five hours of talks with U.S. envoys in Berlin on Sunday to end the war with Russia, with negotiations set to continue on Monday.
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s envoy, said “significant progress” had been made during discussions he attended alongside Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
The talks mark the latest diplomatic effort to resolve Europe’s deadliest conflict since the Second World War, though few details have been made public.
Zelenskyy’s adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn, said the Ukrainian president would comment once the talks conclude, adding that officials are reviewing draft documents.
“The discussions lasted more than five hours and concluded today with an agreement to resume tomorrow morning,” Lytvyn said in a WhatsApp message to reporters.
Ahead of the talks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine could drop its bid to join NATO in exchange for firm Western security guarantees — a significant shift for Kyiv, which has enshrined NATO membership in its constitution as protection against Russian aggression.
Witkoff said representatives held “in-depth discussions” on a proposed 20-point peace framework, economic issues and other matters, confirming that negotiations would resume on Monday morning.
The meeting was hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who made brief opening remarks before leaving delegations to negotiate. Other European leaders are expected in Germany for further discussions.
“From the outset, Ukraine sought NATO membership as the most reliable form of security,” Zelenskyy said in a written response to reporters. “Some partners in the U.S. and Europe did not support this path.”
He said alternatives under discussion include bilateral security guarantees from the United States, NATO Article 5-style commitments, and additional guarantees from European partners, as well as countries such as Canada and Japan.
Russia has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine formally renounce NATO membership and withdraw forces from parts of eastern Ukraine still under Kyiv’s control. Moscow has also insisted that Ukraine remain neutral and that no NATO troops be stationed on its territory.
Washington’s decision to send Witkoff closely involved in talks with both Kyiv and Moscow was widely seen as a sign the U.S. believes progress may be possible nearly four years after Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Meanwhile, speaking in Brussels, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said Ukraine needs “real troops and real capabilities” to defend itself.
She rejected suggestions that the Donbas region could serve as a buffer zone or be ceded to Russia, warning that the area is not Moscow’s final objective.
Kallas said robust security guarantees are essential to prevent Russia from seizing more Ukrainian territory in the future.
Another key issue under discussion in Brussels is continued financial support for Ukraine.
EU ministers are debating whether to reach consensus this week on using around $240 billion in frozen Russian assets to finance reparations loans and support Ukraine’s war effort.
Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela has secured a fourth successive election victory for his Labour Party, extending its hold on power, though with ...
Nicaraguan indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera has died in state custody at the age of 73, according to local media reports citing h...
At least 46 people, including six children, have been killed in a powerful explosion at a building used to store mining explosives in northeastern Mya...
Thousands of residents blocked Austria’s Brenner motorway on Saturday (30 May), shutting down a major north-south transport route through the Alps i...
South Africa's preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have suffered an unexpected setback after the national team failed to depart for Mexico as sch...
Ukraine will acquire 20 new Swedish Gripen E fighter jets and receive 16 older C/D models next year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Thursday (28 May), in a move aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s air force.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said she discussed Ukraine’s path to European Union membership with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Brussels signals key weeks ahead for accession talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected a German proposal to grant Ukraine “associate” membership of the European Union, warning it would leave Kyiv without a meaningful voice in the bloc.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said Belarus will not be dragged into the war in Ukraine, while also stressing that Minsk and Moscow would jointly respond to any aggression against them.
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in more than a decade, despite being barred from performing in several countries over past antisemitic remarks.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela has secured a fourth successive election victory for his Labour Party, extending its hold on power, though with a reduced majority compared with previous polls.
Nicaraguan indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera has died in state custody at the age of 73, according to local media reports citing his family.
At least 46 people, including six children, have been killed in a powerful explosion at a building used to store mining explosives in northeastern Myanmar, according to local media reports.
South Africa's preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have suffered an unexpected setback after the national team failed to depart for Mexico as scheduled on Sunday (31 May) because some players and officials had not yet received their visas.
Five people have died after a mine shaft collapsed during an illegal mining operation in southwestern China, state media reported on Sunday (31 May), just days after the country's deadliest mining disaster in more than a decade claimed at least 82 lives.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment