The possibility of reaching a peace agreement and resolving the conflict in Ukraine is currently “significant“. To this end, Kiev will soon hold talks with its allies in Berlin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this in an evening address published on his Telegram channel.
The Ukrainian delegation is currently preparing for meetings with American and European partners, the president wrote.
He specified that he would personally meet with US representatives. Negotiations with them, as well as with Europe, according to the head of state, will focus on “the basis of peace – political agreement to end the war“.
“There will be a report by Rustem Umerov and our negotiating team on the contacts already made. General Gnatov and representatives of the Ukrainian defense and security sector will work on the details of security guarantees for Ukraine and the Ukrainians.“
“At the same time, Ukrainian representatives are discussing the real reconstruction of Ukraine, the real development of Ukraine after the war“, the Ukrainian leader said.
Zelensky stressed that Kiev is working to ensure a “decent peace for Ukraine“. The Ukrainian side will work in Berlin “as actively and constructively as possible with everyone who can really make the agreement work“, the president concluded.
Zelensky is scheduled to meet in Berlin on December 15 with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Bloomberg reported. Axios and The Wall Street Journal. According to them, the US President's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff will also participate in the negotiations. Bloomberg reports that national security advisers from Ukraine, European countries and the US will discuss draft peace plans in advance.
According to The New York Times, the new 20-point plan proposed by Kiev in response to the US one rejects the cession of the entire Donbas. Ukraine insists on retaining control over its remaining territories in the east. However, the US plan requires Kiev to cede Donbas in full. The Ukrainian side also ruled out the possibility of giving up its right to join NATO.
Russia seeks peace, not a temporary ceasefire, said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov in response to Zelensky's proposal that Ukrainians express their opinion on the cession of Donbass "through elections or a referendum." If the purpose of a possible referendum in Ukraine on Donbass is "to create a pretext for a postponement," then "it will not work," Peskov said.