Speaking on December 15, Trump stated that he had “very long and very good” discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as with NATO and European leaders.
“We are trying to get the job done,” Trump said when asked about the talks between the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe held in Berlin, Germany. “We have had many conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. I think we are closer to a deal than we have ever been before, and we will see what can be achieved.”
When asked whether he had spoken directly with President Putin, Trump replied, “Yes, that’s correct,” but did not provide further details.
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Trump suggested that in exchange for security guarantees, Ukraine may need to accept transferring to Russia the areas it still controls in the Donbass region, including the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. He said Europe would “play an important role” in providing any security guarantees. U.S. and Ukrainian delegations held peace plan talks in Germany on December 14–15, with the participation of European officials. Both Washington and Kyiv described the meetings as positive.
According to a U.S. official, under the discussed agreement, Ukraine would receive security guarantees similar to NATO’s Article 5. This article states that an attack against one NATO member is considered an attack against all members, requiring a coordinated response from the alliance.
Another U.S. official said Russia would not oppose Ukraine joining the European Union, and that Trump wants to prevent Russia from advancing further westward. Representatives of the parties are expected to meet in the United States later this week to continue discussions. European leaders have expressed caution regarding statements from the U.S. side.
“Since the outbreak of the conflict, this is the first time a ceasefire has appeared realistically possible,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on X.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said this was the first time he felt people were “truly behaving like allies,” while Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said security guarantees had become “clearer and more credible.” However, he noted that “many difficult questions remain, such as territorial issues and whether Russia truly wants peace.”
President Zelensky said territorial concessions would be a “painful” issue for Ukraine, but he believes the United States will help the country find a path toward reconciliation.
Russia has not yet commented on the developments. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov previously said Moscow is waiting for Washington to brief it on the content of the meetings held in Germany.