US President Donald Trump says negotiations to end the Russia Ukraine war have reached their most promising stage yet, following extensive discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and key European leaders, as new security proposals and peace frameworks take shape.
European leaders propose multinational force for peace enforcement.
Washington: US President Donald Trump has said efforts to bring an end to the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine are closer to success than at any previous point. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump expressed confidence after holding what he described as long and very positive discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders. According to him, the momentum around negotiations has increased significantly, raising hopes of a breakthrough after years of war.
Trump underlined that conversations involved leaders from major European nations and representatives of the transatlantic alliance, suggesting a coordinated international push toward peace. He emphasized that dialogue with Ukraine had been direct and substantive, adding to the belief that a workable framework is now emerging.
Parallel to these developments, senior European leaders gathered in Berlin to advance proposals aimed at securing a potential peace agreement. A joint statement from the meeting outlined the idea of deploying a multinational force to help enforce any ceasefire arrangement. This force would operate as part of broader security guarantees supported by the United States, designed to ensure that Russia does not violate future commitments.
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European leaders stressed that security assurances are critical to any durable settlement, particularly given past ceasefire failures. While Moscow has yet to formally respond to these ideas, the proposals signal a more assertive European role alongside Washington in shaping post war stability.
President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that discussions with US representatives have been challenging but productive. He said progress had been made, especially on the subject of security guarantees, which Ukraine considers essential for preventing renewed aggression. However, Zelensky also made it clear that disagreements remain, particularly regarding territorial issues.
According to him, Ukraine and its partners do not yet share the same position on how territorial control should be addressed in a final settlement. Zelensky reiterated that while dialogue continues, Ukraine is not prepared to accept terms that undermine its sovereignty or force unacceptable concessions.
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A central feature of the talks has been the nature of security guarantees offered to Ukraine. European leaders and US officials have discussed arrangements similar in spirit to the collective defense principle outlined in NATO Article Five, which treats an attack on one as an attack on all. These guarantees would be reinforced by maintaining a strong Ukrainian military even in peacetime.
Plans under discussion include continued military support to ensure Ukraine retains a force of around eight hundred thousand personnel. Additionally, a monitoring mechanism led by the United States has been proposed to oversee any ceasefire, verify compliance, and provide early warning of potential future attacks.
Despite optimism, territorial disputes remain the most complex obstacle. US officials involved in the negotiations have indicated that discussions include expectations for Ukraine to relinquish control over parts of eastern regions currently held by Russian forces. Ukraine has firmly resisted such demands, viewing them as incompatible with national interests.
Trump has previously suggested that territorial compromise may be unavoidable, but Zelensky has consistently rejected this approach. Russia, for its part, continues to insist on retaining occupied areas and on Ukraine abandoning ambitions to join NATO, setting the stage for difficult negotiations ahead.
While no final agreement has been reached, leaders on both sides have described the current phase as a genuine opportunity for peace. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the talks have opened the door to a credible peace process, praising the scale of security assurances being discussed. At the same time, officials acknowledge that significant gaps remain and that sustained diplomacy will be required.
As negotiations continue, the coming weeks are expected to determine whether this renewed push can finally bring an end to the conflict or whether entrenched positions will once again stall progress.
