Zelenskyy says he will meet US, European officials in Berlin for talks to end Ukraine war

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he will meet US and European officials in Germany’s capital Berlin “in the coming days” for talks on a political agreement to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

In an evening video address on Saturday, Zelenskyy said Kyiv is currently preparing for the talks in Germany, stating that Berlin will host a number of events during this period, including a briefing by Ukraine’s senior negotiator Rustem Umerov and the country’s negotiating team on discussions held.

He said that Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov, as well as representatives of Ukraine’s defense and security sector, will be working on the details of security guarantees for Kyiv, while government officials continue discussions with the US and Europe on the country’s post-war recovery and development.

“Most importantly, I will be meeting with envoys of (US) President (Donald) Trump, and there will also be meetings with our European partners, with many leaders, concerning the foundation of peace – a political agreement to end the war,” Zelenskyy said.

He said they are working to ensure “peace for Ukraine is dignified,” and to secure a guarantee to prevent any future conflict.

“Over these days in Berlin, we will work as actively and constructively as possible with everyone who can genuinely bring the agreement to normal terms. Further meetings and contacts will follow as well,” he added.

The Ukrainian president’s remarks come as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s office announced he will host Zelenskyy and several European leaders in Berlin on Monday to discuss the latest developments in peace negotiations.

German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said in a statement Friday that Merz will first hold bilateral talks with Zelenskyy on German-Ukrainian economic cooperation and the status of ongoing peace negotiations.

"In the evening, numerous European heads of state and government, as well as top EU and NATO representatives, will join the discussions," Kornelius added, without providing further details about the meeting’s participants or its agenda.

On the same day, Umerov, who serves as Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council secretary, said that he took part in a videoconference with national security advisors from Ukraine, the US, and Europe.

“We discussed further alignment of positions, security issues, and the next steps in advancing the peace plan,” Umerov wrote on US social media company Facebook, adding that work continues in parallel in several practical areas both in Europe and in the US.

Earlier Saturday, the German Press Agency (dpa) quoted government sources as saying that foreign policy advisors from the US, Ukraine, Germany, and other countries will continue talks in Berlin on Sunday on a possible ceasefire.

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is also traveling to the German capital to meet Zelenskyy and European leaders this weekend, according to a Friday report by The Wall Street Journal.