Russia-Ukraine peace talks gain pace, Zelenskyy says deal could be ready in days

Fresh momentum appears to be building behind US-led efforts to bring an end to the nearly four-year-old Russia-Ukraine war, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicating that key proposals discussed with American officials could be finalised within days, foreign media reported.

Speaking after talks in Berlin, Zelenskyy said the emerging peace framework would then be shared with Moscow by US envoys, potentially paving the way for further negotiations in the United States as early as next weekend. While the outlines of a deal are taking shape, he acknowledged that major political and territorial questions remain unresolved.

Zelenskyy described the draft peace proposal discussed with Washington as “very workable,” but cautioned that the fate of Ukrainian territory currently occupied by Russian forces remains a sticking point. Any agreement, he stressed, must not compromise Ukraine’s sovereignty. Behind the scenes, US officials say progress has been made. According to American representatives, Ukraine and European partners are aligned on roughly 90 per cent of the US-authored peace plan, suggesting narrowing gaps among Western stakeholders even as Russia’s response remains uncertain, foreign media reported.

Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine will not recognise Russian control over any part of the Donbas region, which includes the eastern areas of Luhansk and Donetsk. Russian forces do not fully control either region, and Kyiv considers them strategically and economically vital.

“The Americans are trying to find a compromise,” Zelenskyy said, before visiting the Netherlands on Tuesday. “They are proposing a ‘free economic zone’ (in the Donbas). And I want to stress once again: a ‘free economic zone’ does not mean under the control of the Russian Federation.”

On Monday, Trump said the United States is receiving “tremendous support” from European leaders, naming Germany, Italy, France, the UK, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands as countries eager to see the conflict end. “We are going to get it done. I think we are closer now, and they will tell you that they are closer now with numerous conversations with President Putin of Russia. And I think we are closer now than we have ever been… We want to save a lot of lives,” Trump said.

Trump also pointed to the challenge of synchronising expectations between Russia and Ukraine on the timing and terms of any agreement. “At this moment, Russia wants to get it, but the problem is they will want to end it, and all of a sudden they want it, and Ukraine will want to get it ended and all of a sudden they won’t. We have to get them on the same page.”