Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pressed ahead with high stakes talks in Berlin aimed at ending the war with Russia holding meetings with envoys linked to United States President Donald Trump.
The discussions come as Ukraine seeks a ceasefire without making territorial concessions a core demand for Kyiv after nearly three years of full scale war following Russia’s invasion in February twenty twenty two.
While US representatives described progress in negotiations major disagreements remain unresolved. Officials familiar with the talks say Washington is still pushing for Ukraine to give up control of the eastern Donbas region as part of any peace deal a red line Ukraine refuses to cross.
Kyiv insists that surrendering territory would reward aggression and undermine its sovereignty. Ukrainian officials say Russia’s leadership remains focused on territorial gains while Ukraine has firmly rejected calls to withdraw from occupied regions. One official described the situation as striking suggesting the US position mirrors Moscow’s demands.
As diplomatic pressure intensifies the talks highlight how difficult a negotiated settlement remains with territorial integrity standing at the center of the dispute and no immediate breakthrough in sight.
