US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that an agreement to end Russia’s nearly four-year war against Ukraine is “closer than ever” after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with several European leaders and US diplomats in the German capital, Berlin.During the two days of high-level talks in Berlin, diplomats discussed how to secure Ukraine against future military threats from Russia, among other sticking issues.Before the Berlin meetings, Zelenskyy said Kyiv was willing to drop its NATO ambition in exchange for legally binding security guarantees. Russia used the NATO expansion as one of the justifications for its invasion in 2022.European leaders, however, say key differences are yet to be resolved between Moscow and Kyiv over territorial issues.Is a ceasefire agreement finally within reach?What was discussed in the meeting in Berlin?The Berlin meetings were attended by US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as key leaders from France, Germany, the United Kingdom and NATO.In a statement after the talks, European leaders said they and the United States were committed to working together to provide “robust security guarantees” to Ukraine, including a European-led “multinational force Ukraine” supported by the US.They said the force’s work would include “operating inside Ukraine” as well as assisting in rebuilding Ukraine’s forces, securing its skies and supporting safer seas. They said that Ukrainian forces should remain at a peacetime level of 800,000. Adverti …
