Recent talks between Ukraine and the US yield ‘progress’ as Trump seeks a quick peace

BERLIN (AP) — The latest round of talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. envoys ended Monday as Kiev faces pressure from Washington to quickly accept a U.S.-brokered peace deal in the face of an increasingly assertive Moscow.

Read more: Trade attacks between Russia and Ukraine as US and European officials prepare to resume peace talks

Chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustam Umarov said on social media that “real progress” had been made in talks in Berlin with President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner as well as European officials, which lasted about 90 minutes after a five-hour session on Sunday.

The US government said in a social media post on Witkoff’s account after Sunday’s meeting that “a lot of progress has been made.”

The search for potential compromises has faced major obstacles, including control of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, most of which is occupied by Russian forces.

Zelensky expressed his willingness to abandon Ukraine’s attempt to join the NATO military alliance if the United States and other Western countries grant Kiev security guarantees similar to those provided to NATO members. Ukraine’s preference for NATO membership remains the best security guarantee to prevent further Russian aggression, but this option does not currently enjoy full support from all allies.

However, Ukraine continued to reject US efforts to cede territory to Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw its forces from the part of the Donetsk region still under its control as one of the basic conditions for achieving peace.

Read more: Zelensky is once again resisting US pressure on Ukraine to cede any territory to Russia while rallying European support

The itinerary of Zelensky’s visit on Monday also included meetings with German and other European leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed that he will travel to Berlin later on Monday.

Stefan Cornelius, spokesman for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, told reporters: “The issue of security in particular will ultimately determine whether this war will actually stop and whether it will flare up again.”

The Russian president has described Ukraine’s attempt to join NATO as a major threat to Moscow’s security and a reason to launch a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The Kremlin has demanded that Ukraine abandon its bid for NATO membership as part of any potential peace settlement.

Zelensky stressed that any Western security guarantees must be legally binding and have the support of the US Congress.

Read more: Zelensky offers to drop NATO’s offer in exchange for security guarantees, and refuses to cede territory

The Kremlin said on Monday that it expects the American side to be informed of the latest developments regarding the Berlin talks.

Asked whether negotiations could end by Christmas, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said trying to predict a possible time frame for a peace agreement was a “thankless task.”

“I can only speak on behalf of the Russian side, on behalf of President Putin,” Peskov said. “He is open to peace, to serious peace and to serious decisions. He is not at all open to any tricks aimed at delaying.”

Putin denied having plans to attack any of the European allies.

In London, the new head of MI6 is set to warn on Monday that Putin’s determination to export chaos around the world is rewriting the rules of conflict and creating new security challenges.

Blaise Metroelli was using her first public speech as head of the UK’s foreign intelligence service to say Britain faces increasingly unpredictable and interconnected threats, with a focus on an “aggressive, expansionist” Russia.

Drone strikes continue

Russia launched 153 drones of various types into Ukraine overnight Sunday into Monday, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, which said 133 drones were neutralized, while 17 others hit their targets.

In Russia, the Defense Ministry said on Monday that forces destroyed 130 Ukrainian drones overnight. An additional 16 drones were destroyed between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. local time.

The Ministry of Defense said that 18 drones were shot down over Moscow itself. Officials said flights were temporarily halted at the city’s Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports as part of safety measures.

Details of damage and casualty numbers were not immediately available.

Pietro Di Cristofaro in Berlin, Ilya Novikov in Kiev, Ukraine, and Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England, contributed to this report.