Ukraine rejects Russian-controlled Donbas after Berlin talks
Ukraine has welcomed what it calls “real progress” toward peace after two days of talks with U.S. envoys in Berlin, but President Volodymyr Zelensky made clear that any arrangement leaving Donbas under Russian control is unacceptable.
Speaking after meetings with U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Zelensky said Kyiv and Washington had moved closer on several issues, including security guarantees, while acknowledging that territorial questions remain unresolved, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“Any format of Donbas under Russian control is unacceptable to me,” Zelensky said. “Neither de jure nor de facto will we recognize Donbas as Russian.”
The talks, held alongside meetings with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, focused on efforts to end the nearly four-year war. Zelensky described the discussions as “not easy, but productive,” noting that while the United States is pushing for a rapid settlement, Ukraine is prioritizing the quality and durability of any peace deal.
“The Americans want a quick end. For us, quality matters,” Zelensky said. “If speed and quality coincide, we support that.”
U.S. officials reportedly expressed optimism, saying that around 90% of issues had been resolved, though unresolved matters include territory and sovereignty. According to Western media and diplomatic sources, Washington has urged Kyiv to consider ceding the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions, a proposal Ukrainian officials firmly reject.
Ukraine’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya cautioned against misrepresenting the U.S. position, stressing that Washington remains engaged as a mediator rather than applying pressure.
A central topic of the Berlin talks was NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelensky confirmed progress toward “Article 5–like” commitments backed by a broad coalition of European countries, Canada, and the United States, even as full NATO membership remains off the table.
Discussions also covered postwar reconstruction, including the possible use of $150–200 billion in frozen Russian assets. Zelensky called the proposal a “game changer,” saying it could provide Ukraine with up to $40–45 billion annually for recovery, infrastructure repair, and economic stability.
The negotiations come amid intensified diplomatic efforts following a revised U.S.-backed peace framework, reduced from an earlier 28-point plan that Kyiv and its European allies criticized as too favorable to Moscow.
Zelensky reiterated that any final agreement must be supported by ironclad security guarantees and, if territorial concessions are proposed, decided by the Ukrainian people.
As talks continue, Kyiv insists that peace is possible — but not at the cost of sovereignty or internationally recognized borders.
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