Talks with US 'not easy' but 'productive': Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday (December 15) described discussions in Berlin with US envoys on bringing an end to the war with Russia as challenging but constructive, saying the talks delivered tangible progress despite their complexity. "These conversations are always not easy, I'll be honest with you. But it was a productive conversation, with a lot of details, really a lot," Zelensky said at a German-Ukrainian Business Forum.

During his visit to Germany, Zelensky renewed his call for frozen Russian assets to be channelled directly into Ukraine’s defence effort, as the European Union struggles to finalise a mechanism to unlock funds for Kyiv. Addressing a business forum in Berlin, he argued that the seized money should be fully utilised to counter Russia’s aggression, calling such a move justified, logical and achievable.

The EU has proposed using profits and mechanisms linked to frozen Russian assets to mobilise around 90 billion euros over the next two years to support Ukraine. Under the plan, the bloc would extend a loan to Kyiv, which could eventually be repaid using Russian reparations if and when they are secured. While several EU members, including Germany, strongly support the initiative, Belgium has emerged as a key opponent. Brussels hosts Euroclear, the financial institution holding the bulk of the frozen Russian funds, and has raised concerns over possible legal risks associated with releasing or leveraging the assets.

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Ukraine-US talks has ‘chance for real peace process’: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz

With an EU summit scheduled to begin on Thursday (December 18), leaders are under growing pressure to break the deadlock. Standing alongside Zelensky in Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said resolving the issue was urgent and critical for Europe’s credibility. Failure to reach an agreement, Merz warned, would seriously undermine the European Union’s ability to act collectively, sending a damaging signal to the world at a crucial moment.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed the sense of urgency, noting that negotiations remain difficult but ongoing. She said key decisions still lie ahead and insisted that leaders would not conclude the upcoming meeting without securing a concrete outcome. Merz also said the two days of discussions involving US and Ukrainian delegations in Berlin had moved the process of ending the conflict forward. He expressed optimism that a genuine peace effort is now within reach, describing proposed US security assurances for Ukraine as a meaningful and positive development.