Germany is set to host delegations from the United States and Ukraine over the weekend to engage in crucial discussions regarding a ceasefire in Ukraine, according to a German official. These preliminary talks will take place just before a major summit involving European leaders and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Berlin on Monday.
A U.S. official confirmed that President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, along with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, are traveling to Germany to participate in the negotiations, which will also involve Ukrainian and European representatives.
The decision to dispatch Witkoff, who has spearheaded negotiations between Ukraine and Russia regarding a U.S. peace proposal, serves as a strong signal that Washington perceives a genuine opportunity for progress after nearly four years of conflict following Russia's 2022 invasion.
The White House had previously stated on Thursday that President Trump would only sanction the deployment of an official to the talks if he was convinced that sufficient progress could be achieved.
European Support Amidst Pressure
"Talks on a possible ceasefire in Ukraine are taking place in Berlin this weekend between foreign policy advisers from, among others, the U.S. and Ukraine," a German government source confirmed on Saturday when questioned about the schedule.
On Monday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz will host President Zelenskiy and other European leaders for a summit in Berlin. This gathering marks the latest in a series of public demonstrations of support for the Ukrainian leader by European allies, even as Kyiv faces mounting pressure from Washington to accept a peace plan that initially favored Moscow's primary demands.
Over the last few weeks, Britain, France, and Germany have been collaborating to refine the U.S. proposals. A draft of the plan disclosed last month called for Kyiv to cede significant territory, abandon its aspirations to join NATO, and accept strict limitations on its armed forces.
In a speech delivered on Saturday, Chancellor Merz warned that Europe must prepare for a fundamental transformation in its relationship with the United States while simultaneously confronting a growing threat from Russia.
"The decades of Pax Americana are largely over for us in Europe, and for us in Germany as well. It no longer exists as we knew it. And nostalgia won't change that," Merz told a party congress in Munich.
He added, "The Americans are now very, very aggressively pursuing their own interests. And that can only mean one thing: that we, too, must now pursue our own interests."
Infrastructure Attacks and Diplomatic Maneuvers
Meanwhile, the European Union has attempted to bolster Ukraine's position by utilizing frozen Russian central bank assets to fund Kyiv's military and civilian budget requirements.
On the ground, Ukraine has struggled to contain Russian advances on the battlefield while enduring frequent bombardments of its energy and water supplies as the winter season approaches.
Officials reported that the southern Black Sea port city of Odesa and the surrounding region suffered extensive blackouts on Saturday following a massive missile and drone attack on the electricity grid, leaving more than a million households without power.
On the diplomatic front, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated that "peace is not far away" following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, adding that he hoped to discuss a peace plan with President Trump.
Erdogan had suggested to Putin on Friday that a limited ceasefire in the war, specifically focused on protecting energy facilities and ports, could prove beneficial.
"The Black Sea should not be seen as a battleground. Such a situation would only harm Russia and Ukraine," Erdogan said in comments released by his office on Saturday.
Despite this rhetoric, Russia attacked two Ukrainian ports on Friday, damaging three Turkish-owned vessels, including a ship carrying food supplies, according to Ukrainian officials and a ship-owner. This aggression occurred just days after Moscow threatened to completely cut Ukraine off from maritime access.
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Source: REUTERS