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.
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The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
Five years after Evergrande's debt crisis rattled global markets, founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life in prison, marking a dramatic new chapter in the downfall of China's former property giant.
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