Ukraine Peace Talks Stalled
The Ukraine/Russia peace agreement that the Trump administration has been working hit a roadblock: territorial concessions. Trump advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are meeting with Zelensky and European leaders in Berlin next weekend to push the U.S. peace plan, which includes Russia's demand for full control of the Donbas region. After nearly four years of war, Ukraine still holds roughly 30% of the Donbas region, and after meeting with European leaders for talks in London, Zelensky says that Ukraine has no legal or moral grounds for surrendering this territory.
“Conflict is at our door. Russia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured … We need to be crystal clear about the threat. We are Russia’s next target, and we are already in harm’s way.”
— Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, Berlin, December 11, 2025
This all comes as Zelensky’s government is under fire for undermining Western oversight designed to prevent corruption in billions of dollars of aid, allegedly allowing graft to flourish in state-owned enterprises despite U.S. and European requirements for supervisory boards.
After pressure from President Trump to resume elections in Ukraine, after initially agreeing, Zelensky now says elections can only occur after a ceasefire, citing Ukrainian law that prohibits voting in wartime.
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