Washington, December 16, 2025 – The Europe Today: President Donald Trump on Monday stated that the end of the war in Ukraine is “closer than ever,” following reports that enhanced security guarantees for Kyiv have advanced ongoing peace talks. However, U.S. officials cautioned that the American offer would not remain on the table indefinitely.
“I think we’re closer now than we have been, ever, and we’ll see what we can do,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, according to media reports.
The U.S. assessment follows two days of discussions in Berlin involving officials from Europe, Ukraine, and the United States. Trump was represented in the talks by his foreign envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
On Monday, the president phoned into a dinner of European leaders to discuss the developing agreement and held multiple conversations with Witkoff and Kushner during the day’s negotiations.
“Things are seemingly going well, but we’ve been saying that for a long time, and it’s a difficult one,” Trump said after the call, describing the conversations as “very good.” He also noted having a “long talk” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and confirmed that the U.S. had been in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
U.S. officials indicated that roughly 90% of the issues between Russia and Ukraine have been resolved, with territorial concessions remaining a key sticking point. The American side proposed “thought-provoking” ideas to address the impasse, including the creation of an “economic free zone.”
During the talks, officials said, a set of “Article 5”-style security guarantees was outlined in greater detail, aimed at deterring further Russian aggression, establishing deconfliction mechanisms, and monitoring an eventual peace agreement. Officials stressed that the plan does not involve the deployment of U.S. troops on the ground.
