Zelensky meets US envoys in Berlin

Ukraine leader to discuss ways to end Russia war

BERLIN:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday met with US President Donald Trump's envoys for talks on how to end the war with Russia, kicking off two days of crisis diplomacy in Berlin.

Trump has pushed for an end to the almost four-year-old conflict but key questions remain on territorial concessions, future security guarantees for Kyiv, and whether Russia would agree to any proposal hammered out by the Europeans and Americans.

German leader Friedrich Merz was shown offering a "warm welcome" to Zelensky as well Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner in a short video released by the chancellery.

"We began our meeting," Zelensky said on Facebook, posting pictures of the Ukrainian delegation joined by Merz, the US representatives and NATO's top commander in Europe, US General Alexus Grynkewich.

"We want a lasting peace in Ukraine," Merz wrote on X. "Difficult questions lie ahead of us, but we are determined to move forward.

"Ukrainian interests are also European interests."

On Monday, Merz was due to again host Zelensky at a German-Ukrainian business conference before they will be joined for dinner by a group of European heads of state and government and the leaders of NATO and the EU.

Strong objections

Zelensky, as he headed to Germany, said he was ready for "dialogue" on ending the grinding war that started with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, adding that "the summit in Berlin is important".

Zelensky said he hoped the United States would back the idea of freezing the front line where it is, rather than Ukraine ceding the entire Donbas region as Moscow demands.

"The fairest possible option is to 'stay where we are'," Zelensky told reporters in an online briefing.

"This is true because it is a ceasefire... I know that Russia does not view this positively, and I would like the Americans to support us on this issue."

Trump has been stepping up pressure on Kyiv to reach an agreement since revealing a plan last month to end the war that was criticised as echoing Moscow's demands.

The proposal triggered a flurry of diplomacy, with Kyiv officials recently saying they had sent Washington a revised version.

Zelensky said he had not received a response from Washington on Ukraine's amendments, but added: "I am receiving all the signals and will be ready for the dialogue that will begin today."

In Russia, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov cast doubt on the latest efforts.

"I think the contribution of both Ukrainians and Europeans to these documents is unlikely to be constructive, that's the problem," he said in a video message.

Ushakov said Moscow had not seen the latest documents but added that "if there are any relevant amendments, we will have very strong objections, since we have very clearly stated our position, which, it seems, was quite clear to the Americans."

Aerial strikes

Last week Zelensky said that Washington was still pushing Ukraine to cede land to Russia.

Washington proposed for only Ukraine, not Russia, to withdraw its troops from parts of the eastern Donetsk region, where a demilitarised "free economic zone" would be installed as a buffer, said Zelensky.

Europeans and Ukrainians are meanwhile asking the United States to provide them with "security guarantees" before Ukraine negotiates any territorial concessions, France said Friday.