US President Donald Trump's overseas envoy will travel to Germany this weekend to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders for the latest round of high-level talks on ending the war. Steve Witkoff, who has been leading White House attempts to mediate between Ukraine and Russia, will discuss the latest version of the proposed peace agreement in Berlin. The Trump administration is pushing for a deal to be in place by Christmas and has held several rounds of talks with Ukrainian and Russian representatives in recent weeks, though there has been little sign a breakthrough is imminent.
The Wall Street Journal, which first reported details of the meeting, said UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz would all take part. The Witkoff-Zelensky meeting comes days after Ukraine gave the US its revised version of a 20-point peace plan, the latest iteration of a proposal which first emerged in late November and has triggered a flurry of diplomatic activity. The fate of territory in eastern Ukraine remains one of the most intractable topics in the negotiations, with Kyiv refusing to cede land which has been illegally occupied.
Zelensky has reacted sceptically to the White House's latest proposal on resolving the territorial question, which involves Ukraine's army pulling out of the region and turning it into a special economic zone. Zelensky expressed concerns about the lack of guarantees against Russian advances.
As the White House's diplomatic push continues, attention in Europe is focused on how to support Ukraine should a peace deal be reached, with talks ongoing over security assurances and funding. Amid a stark financial situation, Ukraine seeks an extra €135.7bn over the next two years. EU officials agreed to freeze around €210bn of Russian assets in Europe, which could potentially support Ukraine if an agreement is reached at an upcoming summit. Plans for Ukraine's rapid accession to the EU have also surfaced, proposing membership as soon as January 2027.
The Wall Street Journal, which first reported details of the meeting, said UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz would all take part. The Witkoff-Zelensky meeting comes days after Ukraine gave the US its revised version of a 20-point peace plan, the latest iteration of a proposal which first emerged in late November and has triggered a flurry of diplomatic activity. The fate of territory in eastern Ukraine remains one of the most intractable topics in the negotiations, with Kyiv refusing to cede land which has been illegally occupied.
Zelensky has reacted sceptically to the White House's latest proposal on resolving the territorial question, which involves Ukraine's army pulling out of the region and turning it into a special economic zone. Zelensky expressed concerns about the lack of guarantees against Russian advances.
As the White House's diplomatic push continues, attention in Europe is focused on how to support Ukraine should a peace deal be reached, with talks ongoing over security assurances and funding. Amid a stark financial situation, Ukraine seeks an extra €135.7bn over the next two years. EU officials agreed to freeze around €210bn of Russian assets in Europe, which could potentially support Ukraine if an agreement is reached at an upcoming summit. Plans for Ukraine's rapid accession to the EU have also surfaced, proposing membership as soon as January 2027.
