U.S. and Ukrainian officials say Berlin negotiations resolved most elements of a draft peace framework, though territorial withdrawals in eastern Ukraine remain the most difficult hurdle.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Diplomatic talks between the United States and Ukraine in Berlin have significantly reduced barriers to a potential peace agreement, with U.S. envoys reporting that the vast majority of contested issues have now been addressed, according to officials familiar with the discussions.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner told counterparts that roughly 90 percent of obstacles tied to a U.S.-authored peace framework have been worked through. Ukraine’s chief negotiator publicly described the talks as producing real progress, signaling cautious optimism after months of stalled diplomacy.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz credited President Donald J. Trump with driving momentum in the negotiations, saying the Berlin talks would not have produced the same results without U.S. leadership. Merz said the discussions represented the most serious diplomatic push since the conflict began, while praising the roles played by Witkoff and Kushner in advancing the process.
Details of the negotiations emerged through public reporting and social media updates, including a summary posted by journalist Jennifer Jacobs outlining progress on infrastructure, security guarantees, and long-term stability provisions. However, officials cautioned that critical disagreements remain.
The most sensitive unresolved issue centers on the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from parts of eastern Donetsk still under Kyiv’s control. According to Reuters, U.S. negotiators told Ukraine that a pullback from the region would be required under any final agreement. Ukrainian officials requested additional talks, while sources said territorial boundaries remain a major sticking point.
Despite the impasse, both sides have begun signaling concessions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged that NATO membership would not be pursued under the proposed framework and has raised the possibility of elections taking place during martial law. Russian officials, meanwhile, have reiterated acceptance of Ukraine pursuing European Union membership, a position that has resurfaced during the Berlin talks.
Russian state media also highlighted progress, with TASS quoting Witkoff as saying the delegations achieved substantial movement toward an agreement during the Berlin meetings.
Further confirmation of the scope of agreement came from Associated Press reporting that consensus now exists on most elements of the U.S.-drafted peace plan. Kushner and Witkoff were expected to continue discussions over dinner with Ukrainian, British, German, and French leaders, while President Trump planned to join the meeting remotely from Washington.
While negotiators acknowledge the remaining disputes are the most difficult, officials involved in the process say the Berlin talks have shifted the trajectory of negotiations, bringing a comprehensive settlement closer than at any point since the war began.
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