The head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, said on Monday that negotiations between the Ukrainian delegation and U.S. envoys have been “constructive and productive”, with real progress toward reaching an agreement before the end of the day.
In a message posted on the social media platform X, Umerov urged people not to give credence to anonymous rumors and speculations spread by some media outlets, and thanked the U.S. delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as well as President Donald Trump, whom he recognized for his involvement in seeking a lasting solution to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Key meetings in Berlin for a possible ceasefire in Ukraine
The talks have been underway since Sunday at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, where Ukrainian representatives, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, are holding meetings with U.S. envoys.
The central objective is to advance the twenty-point plan proposed by Washington to achieve a ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine, one of today’s most significant geopolitical conflicts.
According to the German Federal Police, the meetings are still underway after the arrival of all delegations, in an atmosphere of high diplomatic anticipation.
Ukraine denies US pressure on Donbas
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia also took to X to debunk reports in international media suggesting that Witkoff and Kushner were not aligned with Kyiv’s interests.
Kislitsia stated that, after two days of joint work, he was able to confirm the high level of understanding and commitment of the U.S. representatives to the pursuit of peace, calling the criticisms of their stance “unfair”.
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They deny demands for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops
Some international media outlets had reported that U.S. envoys had demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from the Donbas still under Kyiv’s control, one of the conditions set by Russia to accept a peace agreement.
However, the Ukrainian delegation categorically denied that version, asserting that such a demand is neither part of the current negotiations nor of the U.S. proposal.
Analysis of the peace plan and new rounds of dialog
During the Sunday and Monday sessions, confirmed by media outlets such as Susbline and Ukrinform, both sides analyzed the key points of the U.S. plan, as well as economic and diplomatic aspects related to reconstruction and regional stability.
For his part, Steve Witkoff noted on X that considerable progress has been made and announced that a new round of talks is expected in the coming days to further the agreements reached.
Zelensky strengthens the diplomatic agenda with European leaders
In parallel with the negotiations with the United States, Monday’s agenda included President Zelensky’s meetings with European leaders, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb, as part of multilateral diplomatic efforts.
These meetings are taking place within the framework of a summit that brings together heads of state and government from the European Union and NATO, as well as senior officials from EU institutions, with the aim of coordinating positions on the conflict in Eastern Europe.
