Zelensky sees progress in Berlin talks as Germany touts chance for peace

BERLIN - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday concluded two days of talks with US representatives in Berlin, describing them as "productive", while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said recent diplomatic momentum has made a ceasefire conceivable.

Zelensky's discussions with US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner lasted several hours on Sunday and Monday.

Speaking later Monday at the 8th German-Ukrainian Business Forum in Berlin, Zelensky said the important conversations with the US side are always complex, difficult, but very productive this time. He stressed the need to preserve Ukraine's dignity and said the diplomatic efforts to end this conflict would continue.

Ukraine's top peace negotiator Rustem Umerov said on social media platform X that the talks have been constructive, with "real progress achieved".

"We hope we will reach an agreement that will bring us closer to peace by the end of the day," said Umerov, who also serves as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

Umerov added that the American team led by Witkoff and Kushner is "working extremely constructively" to help Ukraine find a path to a lasting peace agreement.

German newspaper Die Welt reported that US negotiators were pressing Ukraine to give up the Donbas region as part of the settlement.

Asked at a press conference on Monday whether the United States was demanding Ukraine's withdrawal from territory it controls, Zelensky said the US side was not making its own territorial demands. He acknowledged, however, that Ukraine and the United States still hold differing positions on territorial issues.

Before the Monday meeting, Zelensky had voiced rejection of the US-proposed plan to establish a "free economic zone" in parts of the eastern Donbas region, saying it is unfair due to a lack of clarity over governance. He stressed that Ukraine needs clear security guarantees before making decisions on the front line.

At the same press conference, Merz said that the United States had offered security guarantees, and that the recent diplomatic momentum had made a ceasefire "conceivable".

He stressed that any ceasefire must be secured by substantial legal and material security guarantees from the United States and Europe.

While the peace process is still at an early stage, the chance for progress is real, Merz added.

A group of European leaders, including Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on Monday evening issued a joint statement welcoming the "significant progress".

The leaders committed to working together to provide robust security guarantees, including maintaining Ukraine's armed forces at a peacetime level of 800,000 troops.

According to the statement, the guarantees include a European-led "multinational force" operating inside Ukraine to help secure the country's skies and seas, as well as a US-led ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism.

On the issue of territory, the leaders emphasized that decisions are "for the people of Ukraine" once security guarantees are effectively in place.

During his visit, Zelensky also met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner.

In a statement, Zelensky said that he and Steinmeier shared a position on the importance of ensuring Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the protection of its national interests. He also discussed with Kloeckner mechanisms to use frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine.

Commenting on the diplomatic talks in Berlin, Armin Laschet, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of Germany's Bundestag, said the efforts have demonstrated a will to strengthen Europe's role in diplomacy.

Given shifts in US security strategy, Europe needs greater strength and sovereignty of its own, Laschet said.

During Zelensky's visit, Germany announced a new 10-point plan to support Ukraine's defense industry, including weapon procurement and high-level consultations.

German drone manufacturer Quantum Systems said Monday it is working with Ukrainian company Frontline Robotics to establish Europe's first "fully automated, industrial-scale" foreign production line for drones for the Ukrainian armed forces.

The cooperation will supply the Ukrainian army with thousands of drones, said Frontline Robotics CEO Yevhen Tretiak.

In response, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized Europe's role in the Ukraine conflict. He blamed Europe for providing Kiev with weapons, money, and intelligence, saying Europe is "waging a war" with Russia.