Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, will meet Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Berlin as the US presses a 28-point proposal to end the war in Ukraine. Kyiv reported "massive" Russian strikes on energy infrastructure that left thousands without power and killed an elderly civilian in Sumy. The proposal reportedly includes a fast-tracked EU accession timeline for Ukraine, but Moscow and some EU members are sceptical and Kyiv has tied negotiations to security guarantees.
US Envoy Steve Witkoff to Meet Zelensky and European Leaders in Berlin as Washington Pushes Peace Plan
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov expressed suspicion about the efforts to amend the US plan (Alexander KAZAKOV)(Alexander KAZAKOV/POOL/AFP)
The White House says President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Berlin this weekend to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders as Washington presses for a negotiated end to Russia's war in Ukraine.
Escalating Tensions Ahead Of Talks
Ahead of the meetings, Zelensky warned on Saturday that Russia "still aims to destroy" Ukraine, after Kyiv reported "massive" overnight strikes on energy infrastructure that left thousands without power. Regional officials said an 80-year-old woman was killed when a Russian shell struck a residential building in Sumy region. Strikes in the Black Sea port of Odesa also left neighbourhoods without power.
Russia said it had struck Ukrainian facilities with hypersonic ballistic missiles, describing the action as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks. Kyiv and its partners have condemned the strikes and portrayed them as evidence that Moscow is not acting in good faith toward a negotiated settlement.
US Push And The 28-Point Plan
Former President Donald Trump's 28-point proposal to end the war — recently criticised for echoing some Moscow demands, including territorial concessions — has intensified diplomacy between the United States, Ukraine and European partners. Kyiv officials have told Washington they submitted a revised version of the plan; full details of that revision have not been made public.
A White House official confirmed to AFP that Steve Witkoff will discuss the status of peace negotiations with Zelensky and European leaders during the Berlin meetings. In an evening address, Zelensky said his team was preparing to meet "the American side and our European friends" to discuss a political agreement to end the war.
EU Accession, Security Guarantees And Roadblocks
One notable element in the latest US-led proposal reportedly includes an accelerated path for Ukraine to join the European Union, with a senior official telling AFP that the plan envisages accession as early as January 2027. That timeline would be a dramatic acceleration of the ordinary accession process, which typically takes years and requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states. Some countries — notably Hungary — have opposed Ukraine's accession, and Kyiv still faces challenges on reforms such as tackling endemic corruption.
European leaders and Kyiv have also sought concrete security guarantees from the United States as a condition for any negotiations involving territorial changes.
Reactions From Moscow And Regional Players
Moscow expressed scepticism about efforts to amend the US plan, with Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov warning that revisions could "worsen" the proposal and that the process would be lengthy. On the battlefield, Russia has continued steady advances in parts of eastern Ukraine, where proposals have included ideas such as a demilitarised "free economic zone" in parts of Donetsk.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a key regional broker, urged an end to strikes in the Black Sea and called for safe navigation in the region. Ukraine accused Russia of striking a Turkish vessel carrying sunflower oil in the Black Sea, following an earlier incident in which a Russian attack sparked a fire on a Turkish-owned ship at a Ukrainian port. Erdogan had recently called for a "limited ceasefire" covering attacks on ports and energy infrastructure.
What To Watch In Berlin
Germany will host the meetings, which are expected to include the heads of the European Union and NATO, following a German-Ukrainian business forum where Zelensky will meet Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Delegations are likely to press for clarity on the revised Ukrainian response to the US plan, potential security guarantees, and practical measures to protect energy and maritime infrastructure amid ongoing strikes.
Note: Details of the revised Ukrainian submission to the US proposal have not been publicly released. The Berlin talks will seek to clarify positions and test whether international consensus can be built around a framework to halt the fighting.
