European Union leaders are scrambling to influence Ukraine peace negotiations and secure financing for Kyiv ahead of a critical summit 18 December, as divisions threaten both efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US officials including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Berlin on 15 December for over five hours of discussions. "A lot of progress was made, and they will meet again tomorrow morning," Witkoff said on X, noting the talks covered a 20-point peace plan and economic agendas.

The Berlin meeting, which also involved UK, German and potentially French leaders, represents Europe's attempt to shape final settlement terms weeks after an initial 28-point peace plan drafted by Witkoff "provoked a furious backlash in both Kyiv and European capitals," according to POLITICO. The current focus is on a 20-point amendment drafted by Kyiv and European allies and submitted to Washington last week.

Territorial disputes remain central. Trump has proposed emptying occupied territories of Ukrainian and Russian troops to create a demilitarized "free economic zone" for US business interests. Ukraine rejected this proposal, a French official told POLITICO. "The US has insisted on territorial concessions despite fierce European objections," the official said.

Zelenskyy signaled flexibility over the weekend, saying he was willing to "compromise" and not demand NATO membership. Instead, Ukraine should receive an ad-hoc collective defense arrangement, he said. "The bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the United States … and the security guarantees from our European colleagues for us, as well as from other countries such as Canada and Japan ― these security guarantees for us provide an opportunity to prevent another outbreak of Russian aggression."

Europe's leaders maintain there can be no territorial progress before Ukraine receives security guarantees.

The diplomatic push comes as Trump has called European leaders "weak" and said they "talk, but they don't produce." NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned last week: "We are Russia's next target, and we are already in harm's way. Russia has brought war back to Europe and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great grandparents endured."

Simultaneously in Brussels, EU foreign ministers and diplomats are battling over a loan plan using frozen Russian assets. The EU has spent months trying to convince Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to approve using cash value from €185 billion in Russian state assets held in Brussels-based Euroclear to fund Ukraine, with an additional €25 billion from assets elsewhere in the bloc.

Opposition is growing. Italy, Malta and Bulgaria sent a letter Friday demanding alternative financing options. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš rejected the plan Sunday. Belgium, while "engaging constructively," continues making changes to draft measures, according to diplomats.

The five countries cannot form a blocking minority even with potential support from Hungary and Slovakia, but their public criticism undermines hopes for agreement at Thursday's summit. "The more such cases we have the more likely it is that we will have to find other solutions," an EU diplomat said.

Three diplomats insisted no alternatives are being considered and they remain committed to the original plan despite concerns the money might not be approved before year's end. "There is no option B," a German official said, calling the decision "a decision on the future of Europe."

An EU official warned that further disunity this week would send a "disastrous signal to Ukraine" and added: "It's also fair to say that Europe will then fail as well."

Stefan Kornelius, spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, said "numerous European heads of state and government, as well as the leaders of the EU and NATO, will join the talks" following the initial Berlin discussion. French President Emmanuel Macron has not confirmed attendance but spoke with Zelenskyy by phone Sunday.

EU affairs ministers continue discussions Tuesday in Brussels ahead of Thursday's summit. Wednesday will see Eastern European leaders from the Baltics and Poland meet in Helsinki. A meeting of EU ambassadors originally scheduled for Sunday evening was postponed until Monday.

US President Donald Trump’s advisers have allegedly proposed offering Ukraine Article 5-style security guarantees as part of a broader peace plan, according to Axios. A senior US official told the publication the proposed guarantee would be legally binding and approved by Congress.

This comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, while the US under Trump has been pushing for a peace deal, based on Moscow's demands. According to Axios, the White House is pressuring Ukraine to accept the plan. 

Trump advisers push NATO-style guarantee linked to peace terms

Axios reports that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 15 December in Berlin. The meeting will also involve the leaders of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Two White House officials told Axios that the meeting aims to reach an agreement on the US plan for peace in Ukraine.

A White House official said the US believes most issues are allegedly close to resolution, but Ukraine's territorial concessions to Russia remain the key sticking point. The official pointed to public remarks made by Zelenskyy on 11 December as a potential signal of progress.

During those remarks, Zelenskyy said that the fairness of the proposed compromises “will be answered by the people of Ukraine” through a referendum or election. The same day, he also stated that he was skeptical of the US proposal for a “free economic zone” in the Donbas and is seeking changes and clarifications. Around 14% of the Donbas remains under Ukrainian control.

A White House official told Axios that the US included Russia’s demand for full control of Donbas in the plan, but proposed making the contested area a demilitarized zone. Holding a vote during wartime would be difficult, but Axios reports that during a 12 December meeting, European officials said they would support Zelenskyy if he proposed a referendum.

US proposal based on three agreements, Axios reports

Axios reports that Witkoff and Kushner discussed the demilitarized zone proposal with the national security advisers of Ukraine, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. A White House official said those talks, along with recent US-Ukraine discussions on 11 December, led Trump to send his advisers to Europe. Another official told Axios: 

“They believe there could be a chance at peace and the [US] President trusts them.”

Axios states that negotiations on the security guarantees for Ukraine have made significant progress. A senior US official said the Trump administration is willing to give Ukraine a guarantee based on NATO’s Article 5 that would be legally binding and approved by Congress.

“We want to give the Ukrainians a security guarantee that will not be a blank check on the one hand but will be strong enough on the other hand. We are willing to send it to Congress to vote on it,” the US official said.

The same official told Axios the current framework includes three separate agreements: one on peace, one on security guarantees, and one on reconstruction. According to the official, the latest talks provided Ukraine with “a full day-after vision” for the first time.

Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukraine. The US official claimed, 

“According to the current proposal the war will end with Ukraine keeping the sovereignty over 80% of its territory, will get the biggest and strongest security guarantee it has ever got and will get a very significant prosperity package.”

In a briefing with journalists on 8 December, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the current US‑drafted plan to resolve the Russo-Ukrainian war contains 20 points instead of the original 28, according to Liga. He said the earlier version included "openly not pro-Ukrainian" points, which have now been removed. 

US adjusts peace proposal after earlier Geneva and Miami discussions

Zelenskyy said the document shown to him by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umierov differs from what followed earlier rounds of talks in Geneva and Miami. He explained that the foundation remains the same but emphasized that the plan has been streamlined. 

The President said issues tied to Ukraine’s postwar recovery involve financial commitments and must include the European perspective. He noted that he discussed this with European leaders and said Europe must be engaged in the wider conversation.

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Zelenskyy says US wants war to end, but Ukraine defines fair terms

Speaking to Liga’s correspondent in Brussels, Zelenskyy said he sees a genuine US intention to achieve peace in Ukraine. He stressed that the US is a strong partner and that US President Donald Trump seeks to end the Russian‑Ukrainian war. He added that Ukraine has a deeper understanding of the conflict because “we live inside it.”

Zelenskyy said Trump’s son‑in‑law Jared Kushner, who works with special envoy Steve Witkoff and other members of the negotiation team, “is trying hard.” He said Ukraine sees real effort from the US side. 

“I definitely see that they want the war to end. This is not a game from the United States. It’s important to everyone that the war ends. But for us, it’s also important how and on what terms. So there is no risk of a repeat of the war. Because we don’t trust Russia,” he said.

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Ukraine rejects territorial concessions as US seeks compromise

Zelenskyy also reiterated that Ukraine does not consider any transfer of its land. The President stated the topic of trading land for security guarantees is not on the table. Zelenskyy noted that such ideas have surfaced before but said he doubts that the approach is correct. 

“We have no legal right under Ukrainian law, our Constitution, international law, to be honest, and we have no moral right. Russia insists we hand over territory. We do not want to give anything away — that’s what we fight for,” he said, adding that the US is now looking for compromise.

He highlighted several sensitive issues in talks: the Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts), the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, money for recovery, and long‑term security guarantees for Ukraine. On the Zaporizhzhia NPP, Zelenskyy said: 

“Yes, it is occupied today, but everyone understands… I’m not sure Russia understands this, but we and our partners talk about how it won’t work normally without us. So we still need to talk about it.”

Zelenskyy warned that the most difficult topic is Russia’s push to seize part of Donetsk Oblast. He said Moscow continues pressure on Ukraine not only with its military but also by using information operations and diplomatic tools. He stressed that Ukraine must protect its land as Russia works to strengthen its position.

On 27 November, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Ukrainians with what amounted to a strategic restatement of his country's negotiating position. Speaking on the eve of renewed talks with American representatives, he drew a direct line between Ukraine's military resistance and its diplomatic leverage.

"Right now, our defense of positions, our resistance on the frontline, and our joint work with partners to secure better diplomatic standing are equally important," he said. "The stronger we are in our defense on the frontline, the more we can achieve in diplomacy."

The message was unmistakable: Ukraine's red lines on territorial sovereignty remain intact. This despite a week that saw intense American pressure, a major domestic corruption scandal, and continued Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast.

Negotiations continue—on Ukraine's terms?

Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian and American delegations would continue working together "at the end of the week" to translate the Geneva framework into concrete steps toward peace and security guarantees. He announced personal involvement in upcoming negotiations, stating that "next week, there will be important negotiations not only for our delegation, but also for me personally."

The president framed Russia's territorial demands not as a legitimate negotiating position but as an instrument of subjugation. Moscow, he argued, already controls more undeveloped territory than it can manage—the pursuit of Ukrainian land is about power, not geography.

Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak reinforced this position in an exclusive interview with The Atlantic the same day, declaring that Zelenskyy will not sign any document ceding territory and that Ukraine's constitution prohibits such concessions. He specified that Kyiv is prepared to discuss only demarcation of the current line of contact—not recognition of Russian territorial claims.

What Geneva actually produced

The talks that unfolded over the past week produced what both American and Ukrainian officials called an "updated and refined peace framework"—a 19-point revision of the controversial 28-point plan that had drawn fierce criticism from Kyiv and European capitals alike.

The original Trump administration proposal, reportedly drafted with significant Russian input, demanded that Ukraine recognize Russian "de facto" control over occupied territories, cap its military at 600,000 troops, and constitutionally bar itself from NATO membership. Ukrainian officials called it tantamount to capitulation.

After weekend talks in Geneva involving Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Ukraine's delegation, provisions demanding amnesty for war crimes and strict military caps were reportedly removed. Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, stated that delegations had "reached a common understanding on the core terms."

But the crucial point—territorial sovereignty—was explicitly set aside for the presidents to resolve.

Moscow's response: The original plan or nothing

Russia sent clear signals throughout the week. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov dismissed the European counterproposal as "completely unconstructive" on 24 November. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that any agreement must reflect the "spirit and letter" of the Alaska summit between Putin and Trump.

At a security summit in Kyrgyzstan on 27 November, Putin offered a cautiously positive assessment of the American proposal as a "basis for future agreements"—but only in its original form. He made clear that if Ukraine refuses to withdraw from territories Russia claims, Moscow will pursue its objectives militarily.

The pattern is consistent: Moscow embraces the original 28-point framework while rejecting any revision that accommodates Ukrainian or European concerns.

The pressure that didn't break Kyiv

Several European ambassadors questioned both the substance of the proposed deal and the way the United States had conducted talks with Russia without keeping allies informed. US Chargé d'Affaires Julie Davis told diplomats that while terms were "punishing" for Ukraine, it had no choice but to accept them or face worse conditions in future. "The deal does not get better from here, it gets worse," she said.

This pressure coincided with Ukraine's deepest corruption crisis since 2022, with investigators pursuing charges against officials allegedly linked to a $100 million embezzlement scheme. Multiple sources suggested Washington saw an opportunity to push a weakened Zelenskyy toward concessions he might otherwise resist.

Yet Zelenskyy's 27 November address suggests those calculations were wrong. Rather than signaling flexibility, Ukraine's president doubled down on the connection between military resistance and diplomatic outcomes.

What comes next

Zelenskyy closed his address with a statement of resolve: "Ukraine will stand firm. It always will."

The coming days will test that resolve. Witkoff is heading to Moscow. Driscoll will return to meet Ukrainian officials. Zelenskyy has announced personal involvement in negotiations. All of this unfolds against continued Russian advances in the east and Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory.

What seems clear is that despite the pressure of recent weeks, Ukraine has returned to its familiar position: no territorial concessions, no recognition of Russian occupation, and a firm belief that military strength—not capitulation—is the path to a durable peace.