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.
Kazakhstan and Germany have agreed to expand cooperation in critical minerals, industry, energy and transport, with Astana seeking a greater German...
Global cholera deaths reached their highest annual level in more than 20 years in 2025, despite a decline in reported cases, according to the World...
Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has proposed building a new 1,000-megawatt nuclear power unit in Armenia as Yerevan weighs competing inte...
A Russian guided aerial bomb has struck an apartment building in Kharkiv, injuring 22 people, including children, according to the city’s mayor. The strike follows a day of near-continuous Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed at least five people.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
The European Union's decision to simultaneously advance accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania marks its most ambitious enlargement effort in more than two decades.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declared that Brexit has done more harm than good, while reaffirming support for Ukraine and NATO as he used his first Labour conference speech as leader to set out a new direction for Britain.
The arrival in South Korea of two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia has created a rare legal, diplomatic and humanitarian case, raising questions over their status, security and future.
At midnight on 30 September, the last U.S. troops are due to leave Iraq, ending a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion and cost the lives of around 4,500 American service members.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 29 September 2026, with the latest from Azerbaijan, from $10.8 billion in investment deals and Formula 1 drama to diplomacy and preparations for major FIFA tournaments.
Crude oil exports from major Middle Eastern producers rebounded in September to their highest level since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began in late February, according to data from analytics firm Kpler.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment