U.S. and Ukrainian delegations reconvened for a second round of peace talks in Berlin on Monday, with Polish Prime Minister Tusk and NATO leaders also slated to attend.
Resumption of talks in Berlin
On Monday morning, 15 December 2025, the United States and Ukraine resumed negotiations at the German Chancellery in Berlin regarding President Donald Trump’s peace plan. Delegates included President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner.
Key participants expected in the afternoon
Later that day, German Chancellor’s announcements pointed to the arrival of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, NATO chiefs, and European Commission officials in Berlin, following German Foreign Minister Merz’s earlier statement that Berlin would finalize proposals to end the war in Ukraine.
Core issues remain territorial claims and security guarantees
Negotiations continue to focus on Russia’s territorial demands, the provision of security guarantees for Kyiv, and the utilization of frozen assets of the Russian Central Bank held by the EU.
Ukraine willing to abandon NATO push
Zelenskiy said Kyiv is ready to forgo its pursuit of NATO membership if it receives legally binding, bilateral security guarantees from the United States and other states that would function similarly to NATO’s Article 5, enabling direct military assistance in case of a renewed Russian invasion.
Poland, NATO and EU role in shaping outcomes
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul noted that Ukraine’s offer could be acceptable to Russia, but it remains unclear whether Vladimir Putin truly intends to end the war. He added that the Russian leader is not even prepared for a ceasefire.
Moscow’s stance on Ukraine’s NATO ambitions
Russia considers Ukraine’s withdrawal from NATO ambitions a foundational issue for future peace talks. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred to it as one of the pillars of the discussion and stated that Russia expects information from the U.S. and European governments following the Berlin talks.
