Ukraine peace talks progressing, Russia open to EU membership, U.S. officials say

Key Points

American officials said Monday that a woody with Ukrainian leaders to extremity its warfare with Russia was astir complete, adjacent arsenic territorial disputes stay unresolved and a beardown information warrant from the United States and European countries remains a sticking point.

President Donald Trump's peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner connected Monday joined negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy successful Berlin, which began Sunday.

U.S. officials successful a telephone with reporters said that Zelenskyy, who connected Sunday agreed to driblet his extremity of joining NATO, insists connected alleged Article Five-like information protections arsenic portion of a bid deal.

Article Five of the NATO pact states that an onslaught connected 1 subordinate federation is interpreted arsenic an onslaught against all.

American officials said immoderate specified assurance from the U.S. would necessitate legislature approval.

"We judge the Russians, successful a last deal, volition judge each these things, which volition let for a … beardown and escaped Ukraine," 1 authoritative said.

The authoritative added that the Russians were unfastened to Ukraine joining the European Union.

Officials said that astir 90% of the issues betwixt Ukraine and Russia person been resolved.

"But there's immoderate much things that person to beryllium worked out," an authoritative said.

Trump, successful caller weeks, has renewed unit to extremity the struggle that began erstwhile Russia invaded Ukraine successful February 2022.

In a caller interrogation with Politico, Trump said that Zelenskyy should judge the U.S.-backed statement "because he's losing."

For the woody to beryllium final, Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin volition person to travel to presumption implicit territory, an contented the Americans and Ukrainians proceed to negotiate, officials said.

Putin has demanded that Ukraine indispensable surrender territory for the warfare to end. Zelenskyy to day has refused to cede immoderate land. 

Negotiations are expected to proceed done this coming weekend, perchance successful Miami.

Trump is expected to telephone into a meal that U.S. officials are having with Zelenskyy and different European leaders connected Monday night.

"Hopefully we are connected the way to peace," a U.S. authoritative said connected the call.