Two days of US-Ukraine talks in Berlin have produced a "chance" for a "real peace process", German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday as US envoys join the leaders of several European countries, as well as NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte, for more talks Monday evening to end the war with Russia. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.
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Europe to launch international commission for Ukraine war damages
European leaders including Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy meet in The Hague on Tuesday to launch an International Claims Commission to compensate Kyiv for
hundreds of billions of dollars in damage from Russian attacks and alleged war crimes.
The one-day conference, co-hosted by the Netherlands and the 46-nation Council of Europe, the continent's top rights group, was to be attended by dozens of senior figures including European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Ukraine will ask US for long-range weapons if Russia rejects peace effort, Zelensky says
Ukraine will ask the US for more sanctions pressure on Russia and additional weapons, including long-range, if Moscow rejects diplomatic efforts to end the war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday.
Kyiv supports the idea of a ceasefire, in particular for energy strikes, during the Christmas period, he told reporters in a WhatsApp chat.
Britain’s MI6 spy chief says Putin is dragging out peace talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin is stalling efforts to end Russia’s war on Ukraine, and is testing the West with tactics that fall “just below the threshold of war,” the head of Britain’s MI6 spy agency said Monday.
Blaise Metreweli, the intelligence agency's new boss, said Putin is “dragging out negotiations” on stopping the conflict, and remains determined to “subjugate Ukraine and harass NATO members.”
Ukrainians want US Congress to vote on security guarantees
As US President Donald Trump pushes for a speedy end to the war, Ukrainians are "trying to be as diplomatic as possible" to avoid being blamed for derailing the talks, says FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reporting from Kyiv.
For Ukrainians, "what does sound positive is this talk of security guarantees", notes Cragg. But "the Ukrainians have said that they want this to be voted by Congress in the United States. They're not going to take Donald Trump's word for it."
There was also no indication that Russia would accept the security guarantees proposed by European leaders. "The reality is that the Russians have given every indication that they will not accept them," said Cragg.
Trump says Ukraine deal 'closer' than 'ever'
President Donald Trump has said a deal to end Russia's war in Ukraine was closer than ever, after he spoke to Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and a host of European leaders.
"I think we're closer now than we have been ever," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that he had "very long and very good talks" with Zelensky and others, including the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and NATO.
European leaders agree Ukraine security guarantees should include European-led peacekeeping force
European leaders say they have agreed that any decisions on potential Ukrainian territorial concessions to Russia could only be made once robust security guarantees were in place which should include a European-led multinational force.
The statement issued by 10 European leaders as well as EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen came after they met in Berlin to back up peace talks between US and Ukrainian negotiators seeking to end the conflict.
Outlining what they considered necessary security guarantees, the statement said Ukraine should be able to keep its armed forces at around 800,000 to be able to deter conflict.
In addition, Europe should coordinate a "multinational force Ukraine" made up from contributions from willing nations and supported by the US.
"It will assist in the regeneration of Ukraine's forces, in securing Ukraine's skies, and in supporting safer seas, including through operating inside Ukraine," read the statement.
Attempted attack by Ukrainian underwater drones failed
A Ukrainian attempt to attack a Russian naval base in the port of Novorossiysk with underwater
drones failed to achieve any of its aims, with no damage to a single ship or submarine, news agencies quoted Russia's Black Sea Fleet as saying.
"The enemy's attempt at sabotage through underwater drones failed to achieve its aims," the agencies quoted the head of the fleet's press service Aleksei Rulyov as saying.
"Not a single ship or submarine of the Black Sea Fleet located at the base in Novorossiysk Bay was damaged. And as a result of the sabotage attempt, there were no injuries to crew, who are carrying out their service."
European leaders vow support for Ukraine's Zelensky after Berlin meeting
European leaders have agreed to support "whatever decisions" Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky ultimately makes on specific Ukrainian issues, a British government statement said.
'For the first time since the war began, a ceasefire now seems possible,' German chancellor says
UK military chief urges Britain to better prepare for Russia threat
Britain must get better prepared to deter the threat of conflict, particularly from Russia, by encouraging people to be willing to fight, increasing industrial weapons capacity and developing skills, the country's
military chief said.
Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton, chief of the defence staff, told the RUSI think tank Britain had yet to feel the threat from Russia "as acutely as many of our allies in Europe" which had already moved to increase defence procurement and, in some cases, return to a form of national service.
Europeans propose 'multinational force' for Ukraine peace
The force would be part of "robust security guarantees" for Ukraine from the United States and European powers aimed at guaranteeing that Russia would not violate an agreement to end the war, according to the statement released as European leaders gathered with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin.
German, Ukrainian defence firms join forces to make drones
A German drone maker and a Ukrainian defence tech start-up announced Monday they are forming a joint venture to mass-produce unmanned aerial vehicles for the Ukrainian military.
Quantum Systems, based in the southern German state of Bavaria, and Ukrainian company Frontline Robotics will make the drones in Germany.
The project will "establish Europe's first fully automated, industrial-scale foreign production line for drones for the Ukrainian armed forces", the firms said in a statement.
The new venture, called Quantum Frontline Industries, will make "battlefield-proven, multi-use drones" developed by Frontline Robotics, according to the statement.
Quantum Systems will provide industrial infrastructure and production operations while the Ukrainian firm will contribute designs and training.
Zelensky says Ukraine needs clear security guarantees before deciding on front line
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv needs a clear understanding of security guarantees from its allies before making any decisions about the front line in peace talks to end its war with Russia.
Speaking to reporters in Berlin, he added that any security guarantees should include ceasefire monitoring.
Merz says Ukraine-US talks give 'chance for real peace process'
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said the two days of talks between US and Ukrainian delegations in Berlin had brought progress towards ending the war with Russia.
"We now have the chance for a real peace process," Merz said at a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling proposed US security guarantees for Ukraine an "important step forward".
Zelensky says talks with US 'not easy' but 'productive'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the two-day talks in Berlin with US envoys on ending the war with Russia were "not easy" but "productive".
"These conversations are always not easy, I'll be honest with you. But it was a productive conversation, with a lot of details, really a lot," Zelensky said at a German-Ukrainian Business Forum.
Ukraine says it struck Russian submarine in Novorossiysk
Ukraine's SBU domestic security service has said Kyiv's forces struck a Russian submarine in the port of Novorossiysk, causing critical damage to the vessel.
In a statement, it added the Kilo-class submarine was knocked out of operation following the first such attack by Sea Baby drones.
Macron to travel to Berlin for talks on Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Berlin on Monday evening to attend a round of talks on a possible peace agreement for Ukraine, his office said in a statement.
The leaders of Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden as well as EU Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte are among those expected to join the talks in the German capital on Monday evening.
Ukraine says it struck Russian gas processing, missile fuel plants
Ukraine's military has said it struck a gas processing plant in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan and a plant producing missile fuel in the Rostov region.
In a statement, Kyiv's General Staff said explosions had been recorded at the Astrakhan plant.
Separately, the head of Ukraine's drone forces said his pilots had struck the Kamensky plant which produces fuel for Iskander and Kindzhal missiles, among others.
Ukrainian negotiator says 'real progress' in talks with US
Real progress has been achieved during two days of talks with a US delegation in Berlin on ending Russia's war in Ukraine, said Kyiv's negotiator Rustem Umerov.
"Over the past two days, Ukrainian-US negotiations have been constructive and productive, with real progress achieved," Umerov said on social media, adding: "We hope we will reach an agreement that will bring us closer to peace by the end of the day."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has voiced readiness to drop his country’s bid to join NATO in exchange for Western security guarantees as he holds talks with US envoys on ending the war
Zelensky rejected the US push for Ukraine to agree to cede territory to Russia.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff says "a lot of progress" was made during talks with Zelensky on a proposal to end the war with Russia.
