On December 15, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) Rustem Umerov expressed hope that Ukrainian-American talks in Berlin would conclude by day’s end, bringing peace closer.
Umerov described the past two days of negotiations as “constructive and productive,” with real progress achieved. He stated: “We hope that by the end of the day we will reach an agreement that will bring us closer to peace.”
The NSDC secretary noted that the American delegation, led by special envoy Stephen Witkoff and Jared Kushner’s son-in-law, was working “extremely constructively” to help Kyiv find a path toward long-term peace. Umerov also extended gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump and his representatives while urging Ukrainians not to succumb to “rumors and anonymous speculations” in the media.
A regular meeting of representatives from the United States, Ukraine, and the European Union took place in Berlin on December 15. Ukrainian online publication “Strana.ua” reported that negotiations between American and Ukrainian delegations concluded after two hours.
The previous day had seen a second stage of negotiations in Berlin, during which Witkoff stated significant progress was made with Kyiv. According to The Wall Street Journal, the meeting between Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Witkoff was difficult. The United States insisted on quick solutions to resolve the conflict, while Zelensky and the European Union highlighted unresolved serious differences in the peace plan that require further discussion.
