Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Zelenskyy on Sunday (December 14, 2025) voiced readiness to drop his nation’s bid to affix NATO in alternate for Western safety ensures, however rejected the U.S. push for ceding territory to Russia as he arrived in Berlin for talks with U.S. envoys on ending the warfare.
Mr. Zelenskyy arrived on the Chancellery forward of the anticipated talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s particular envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, a part of a sequence of conferences in Berlin between Ukrainian, U.S. and European officers.
Responding to journalists’ questions in audio clips on a WhatsApp group chat earlier than the talks, Mr. Zelenskyy mentioned that for the reason that U.S. and a few European nations had rejected Ukraine’s push to affix NATO, Kyiv expects the West to supply a set of ensures much like these provided to the alliance members.
“These safety ensures are a possibility to stop one other wave of Russian aggression,” he mentioned. “And that is already a compromise on our half.” Mr. Zelenskyy emphasised that any safety assurances would must be legally binding and supported by the U.S. Congress, including that he anticipated an replace from his workforce following a gathering between Ukrainian and US navy officers in Stuttgart, Germany.
He mentioned that he’ll meet individually with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and, probably, different European leaders later within the night.
Washington has tried for months to navigate the calls for of every aspect as Mr. Trump presses for a swift finish to Russia’s warfare and grows more and more exasperated by delays.
The seek for doable compromises has run into main obstacles, together with management of Ukraine’s jap Donetsk area, which is usually occupied by Russian forces.
Powerful obstacles stay
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin desires Ukraine to withdraw its forces from the a part of the Donetsk area nonetheless beneath its management among the many key circumstances for peace, a requirement rejected by Kyiv.
Mr. Zelenskyy mentioned that the U.S. had floated an thought for Ukraine to withdraw from the Donetsk and create a demilitarised free financial zone there, a proposal he rejected as unworkable.
“I don’t take into account this truthful, as a result of who will handle this financial zone?” he mentioned. “If we’re speaking about some buffer zone alongside the road of contact, if we’re speaking about some financial zone and we consider that solely a police mission ought to be there and troops ought to withdraw, then the query could be very easy. If Ukrainian troops withdraw 5–10 kilometres, for instance, then why do Russian troops not withdraw deeper into the occupied territories by the identical distance?” Mr. Zelenskyy described the problem as “very delicate” and insisted on a freeze alongside the road of contact, saying that “in the present day a good doable choice is we stand the place we stand.” Mr. Putin’s overseas affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov informed the enterprise every day Kommersant that Russian police and nationwide guard would keep in elements of the Donetsk area even when they grow to be a demilitarised zone beneath a potential peace plan.
Ushakov warned {that a} seek for compromise may take a very long time, noting that the U.S. proposals that took into consideration Russian calls for had been “worsened” by alterations proposed by Ukraine and its European allies.
Talking to Russian state TV in remarks broadcast Sunday, Ushakov mentioned that “the contribution of Ukrainians and Europeans to those paperwork is unlikely to be constructive,” warning that Moscow will “have very sturdy objections.” Ushakov added that the territorial problem was actively mentioned in Moscow when Witkoff and Kushner met with Mr. Putin earlier this month. “The Individuals know and perceive our place,” he mentioned.
Mr. Merz, who has spearheaded European efforts to help Ukraine alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, mentioned Saturday that “the many years of the Pax Americana’ are largely over for us in Europe and for us in Germany as effectively.” He warned that Putin’s goal is “a basic change to the borders in Europe, the restoration of the outdated Soviet Union inside its borders.” “If Ukraine falls, he will not cease,” Merz warned on Saturday throughout a celebration convention in Munich.
Putin has denied plans to revive the Soviet Union or assault any European allies.
Russia and Ukraine alternate aerial assaults
Ukraine’s air drive mentioned that Russia in a single day launched ballistic missiles and 138 assault drones at Ukraine. The air drive mentioned 110 had been intercepted or downed, however missile and drone hits had been recorded at six places.
Zelenskyy mentioned Sunday that a whole lot of 1000’s of households had been nonetheless with out energy within the south, east and northeast areas and work was persevering with to revive electrical energy, warmth and water to a number of areas following a large-scale assault the earlier night time.
The Ukrainian President mentioned that previously week, Russia had launched over 1,500 strike drones, almost 900 guided aerial bombs and 46 missiles of varied sorts at Ukraine.
“Ukraine wants peace on first rate phrases, and we’re able to work as constructively as doable. As of late can be crammed with diplomacy. It is crucial that it brings outcomes,” Mr. Zelenskyy mentioned.
Russia’s Defence Ministry mentioned that air defences downed 235 Ukrainian drones late Saturday and early Sunday.
Within the Belgorod area, a drone injured a person and set his home ablaze within the village of Yasnye Zori, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov mentioned.
Ukrainian drones struck an oil depot in Uryupinsk within the Volgograd area, triggering a hearth, in accordance with regional Gov. Andrei Bocharov.
Within the Krasnodar area, the Ukrainian drones attacked the city of Afipsky, the place an oil refinery is situated. Authorities mentioned that explosions shattered home windows in residential buildings, however did not report any injury to the refinery.
Revealed – December 14, 2025 10:02 pm IST
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