On December 16, 2025, according to reports translated by Epoch Times reporter Gao Shan, American officials disclosed on Monday, December 15, that Russia has expressed willingness to accept Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. This issue has been a sticking point in the Russia-Ukraine peace agreement negotiations. This move is seen as a significant concession from Moscow, bringing new hope to ending the nearly four-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Over the past two days, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former President Trump, held intensive talks in Berlin with Ukrainian President Zelensky, as well as officials from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
Monday’s meeting lasted for approximately 90 minutes, following a five-hour meeting on Sunday.
After the meeting, US officials stated in a briefing that the United States has agreed to provide security guarantees to Kyiv as a condition for reaching an agreement, but emphasized that such a proposal would not be on the table “forever.”
Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov stated on social media that the talks with envoy Witkoff, Kushner, and European officials have made “real progress.”
The US government also posted on Witkoff’s social media account that “significant progress has been made.”
Despite the positive momentum in the negotiations, reaching a final compromise still faces significant obstacles. The biggest point of contention lies in the issue of control over the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Currently, the area is mostly occupied by Russian forces, but Ukrainian troops are putting up fierce resistance.
Russian President Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the Donetsk region, which is still under Ukrainian control, as one of the key conditions for peace.
Regarding the issue of security guarantees, Zelensky stated that if the United States and other Western countries provide security assurances to Kyiv similar to NATO’s Article 5, he is prepared to abandon efforts to join NATO.
However, he emphasized that any Western security guarantees must be legally binding and receive support from the US Congress. Ukraine still believes that NATO membership is the best protection against further Russian aggression, but this option has not yet garnered full support from all alliance members.
It is worth noting that despite pressure, Ukraine continues to reject US proposals to cede territory to Russia. Zelensky’s schedule on Monday also included meetings with leaders from Germany and other European countries, with French President Macron also visiting Berlin on that day.
A spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Stefan Kornelius, pointed out, “The issue of providing security guarantees will ultimately determine whether this war truly ends and whether it will erupt again.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Monday that it is expected that the US will inform the Russian side about the situation following the Berlin talks.
When asked if the negotiations could conclude before Christmas, he stated that it is difficult to predict a specific timeframe, but emphasized that Putin maintains an open attitude towards “serious peace and serious decisions,” while refusing to accept any delays.
Meanwhile, drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine continue. According to Ukrainian Air Force reports, from Sunday night to Monday, Russia launched 153 various types of drones towards Ukraine, with 133 being destroyed. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that their forces destroyed 130 Ukrainian drones overnight, and 18 drones were shot down over Moscow, leading to temporary flight suspensions at two airports.