Trump Says Ukraine Peace Deal ‘Closer Than Ever’ After Talks With Zelensky, Allies
Trump announces major progress in ending Russia-Ukraine war.
United States President Donald Trump announced on Monday that a peace deal to end Russia's nearly four-year war in Ukraine is "closer than ever," following intensive discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders from Britain, France, Germany, and NATO. Trump highlighted "very long and very good talks," expressing optimism after direct engagements and conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The statements followed two days of high-level negotiations in Berlin, where Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met Zelensky for over eight hours of talks. European leaders, hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, joined discussions on security guarantees and enforcement mechanisms for any potential accord.
European counterparts proposed deploying a multinational force to monitor and enforce a ceasefire, complemented by robust US-backed security assurances akin to NATO's Article Five mutual defense provision, without requiring Ukraine's formal NATO membership. Zelensky welcomed progress on these guarantees but described negotiations as challenging, noting persistent differences over territorial issues in the eastern Donbas region.
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Zelensky confirmed Ukraine's willingness to compromise by shelving NATO aspirations in exchange for binding protections against future Russian aggression, while rejecting concessions that would cede control of territories currently held by Ukrainian forces. US officials described the security package as unprecedented and time-sensitive, warning that the offers may not remain available indefinitely.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hailed the developments as creating a genuine "chance for a real peace process" for the first time since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion, praising the substantial US commitments. However, Russia has yet to publicly respond to the proposals, with ongoing frontline hostilities underscoring the fragility of the diplomatic momentum.
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