Overview
- The White House confirmed special envoy Steve Witkoff will meet Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Berlin this weekend ahead of Monday talks hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz with EU and NATO chiefs.
- EU countries approved a measure by 25–2 to bar the return of frozen Russian central‑bank funds, positioning roughly €210 billion—about €185 billion held via Euroclear in Belgium—for Ukraine, though litigation and member‑state concerns persist.
- Negotiators continue to revise the U.S. peace plan, with proposals under discussion such as a ‘free economic zone’ in parts of Donetsk and potential freezes along sections of the front, while Kyiv insists any pullback be mirrored by Russia and rejects ceding territory without a referendum.
- Security guarantees are being explored outside NATO membership, with concepts likened to mutual‑defense commitments by the U.S. and European states and a focus on building Ukraine’s own long‑term military capacity.
- Europe’s response is shaped by a sharper U.S. strategic pivot away from the continent described by German figures as an epochal break, while leaders debate tougher measures on Russia and a coalition of willing states to back Ukraine.