Published On 16/12/2025
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Last update: 06:06 (Mecca time)
US President Donald Trump said that reaching an agreement to end the war in Ukraine is closer “than ever”, while European leaders proposed a “multinational force” to enforce a possible peace agreement.
The US President added in the Oval Office that he had extensive and good contacts with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the European leaders meeting in Berlin regarding ending the war in Ukraine.
Reuters quoted American officials as saying that the United States had offered to provide NATO-style security guarantees to Kiev, at a time when American and European negotiators reported progress in the talks yesterday, Monday, to end the war with Russia, but reaching an agreement on ceding territory is still far-fetched.
American officials said that the envoys sent by US President Donald Trump made this unprecedented offer in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin, but they warned that such an agreement would not be on the table forever.
Zelensky’s concerns
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine and the United States support the idea of declaring a ceasefire during Christmas, explaining that its implementation depends on the political will of Russia.
Zelensky, who left Germany for the Netherlands, said in statements broadcast by his press office that Kiev would ask Washington for long-range weapons if Russia rejected peace efforts. He also said that there is not, yet, a perfect peace plan to stop the war in Ukraine and that the current draft version is still being worked on.
Zelensky added that the United States wants to move quickly towards peace, while Ukraine needs to ensure the quality of this peace, stressing that his country is very close to obtaining strong security guarantees.
Zelensky said that Ukraine will not recognize Donbass as part of Russia, whether legally or actually, adding that there will be no free economic zone in Donbass under Russia’s control.
European position
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that there is a real opportunity to launch a peace process in Ukraine.
Mertz added, during a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart in Berlin, that the Ukrainian people and its president are the only two bodies authorized to make a decision regarding any settlement in the land issue.
For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a tweet on the X website, “We are moving forward towards a firm and lasting peace in Ukraine, and it must remain sovereign and Europe must remain secure,” adding, “With the Europeans, Ukrainians, and Americans, we are strengthening our rapprochement, military support, and strong security guarantees.”
European leaders have expressed their support for providing strong security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any agreement to end the war.
In a statement they issued, European leaders supported the formation of a multinational force led by European leadership and with American support as a security guarantee for Ukraine, in addition to establishing an American mechanism to monitor the ceasefire in Ukraine with international participation.
The statement also expressed the guarantee of Ukraine’s security, independence and prosperity as a fundamental pillar of Euro-Atlantic security. The statement called for Russia to compensate Ukraine for the damage caused by the war.
The statement emphasized strong support for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, and stressed that international borders cannot be changed by force.
Russian hope
On the other hand, the Russian TASS agency quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, saying, “Contacts with the United States regarding Ukraine give rise to hope, and Washington deeply understands Moscow’s position.”
Lavrov added that his country is awaiting a response from the Americans regarding their negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation.
On the other hand, the Russian Foreign Minister said that he does not see that there is anything that can be discussed with the current European leadership, accusing Europe of fighting Russia again under Nazi banners, but with the hands and bodies of Ukrainians.
For his part, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the parties are close to reaching a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine, indicating that Moscow is ready to conclude an agreement.
Rybakov said in an interview with the American channel ABC, that stopping what he described as a special military operation in reference to the war in Ukraine depends on the extent to which Kiev’s allies recognize the inevitable outcome of Russia’s success, as he put it.