Negotiations between Ukraine and the United States, aimed at securing a peace deal with Russia, continued for a second consecutive day in Berlin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and chief negotiator Rustem Umerov met with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for five hours on Sunday. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was also present at this meeting. A US readout indicated that "progress was made." The same teams reconvened for further discussions on Monday morning.
NATO Membership and Security
Prior to the Monday session, President Zelensky signaled a willingness to forgo Ukraine's ambitions to join NATO. This proposition is conditional on receiving strong security guarantees, which he suggested should be structured similarly to NATO's Article 5 clause of mutual protection. Zelensky noted that "some partners from the US and Europe" did not support Ukraine's bid for NATO membership, framing his proposal for security guarantees as "a compromise on our part."
US envoy Steve Witkoff had previously engaged in discussions with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The Sunday meeting at the chancellery in Berlin marked his first interaction with President Zelensky. General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, also attended the talks. Additional meetings involving several European leaders and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to occur with the Ukrainian and US delegations on Monday evening.
Peace Plan Focus
A primary subject of the Berlin discussions is a 20-point peace plan proposed by Ukraine to the United States last week. This plan was presented as a counter to an initial American proposal. Although specific details of the Ukrainian plan have not been disclosed, President Zelensky stated last week that its points should be considered a "foundation" for establishing provisions related to Ukraine's reconstruction and security guarantees.
International Positions
Russia considers Kyiv's potential membership in NATO a "red line" and has consistently demanded that any Ukrainian aspirations to join the alliance be permanently abandoned. The Kremlin stated on Monday that this issue is "one of the cornerstones and requires special discussion." The United States has also repeatedly communicated its lack of support for Ukraine's NATO membership. Kyiv, however, has expressed apprehension that a peace agreement without robust security assurances may not deter future Russian aggression.