US Diplomat Preparing to Meet Zelenskyy, EU Officials in the German Capital
Amid a major diplomatic effort, Donald Trump’s personal representative will travel to meet with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and various European leaders in Berlin over the coming days, as Washington seeks a definitive roadmap to halt the ongoing conflict.
Peace Negotiations and Ceasefire Planning
Germany stated it will facilitate US and Ukrainian teams for preliminary consultations regarding a prospective halt in fighting, ahead of a broader meeting involving EU officials and President Zelenskyy set for Monday. In a speech to the nation, Zelenskyy affirmed the planned engagement with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff: “A key aspect, I will be meeting with envoys of President Trump, and there will additionally be meetings with our European partners, with numerous leaders, about the foundation of peace – a diplomatic accord to stop the war,” he noted.
Kremlin Prerequisites for a Ceasefire
In parallel, Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov reaffirmed that Moscow would exclusively support a cessation of hostilities following Ukraine’s military leave parts of the Donetsk region they currently hold. Ushakov stated that Moscow’s security forces and national guard troops would remain in sections of the Donbas region even if the zone were to become a demilitarised zone under a future settlement – a condition widely seen as a non-starter for Kyiv.
Overnight Strikes Hit Ukraine's Critical Systems
In a related escalation, Russian forces targeted five Ukrainian regions overnight, aiming at the country’s energy and port infrastructure, according to President Zelenskyy. He reported the barrage employed more than 450 drones and 30 rockets. With the mercury close to zero degrees, Ukraine’s interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, said over a million people were left in the dark.
Furthermore, an strike on the port city of Odesa resulted in grain silos being set ablaze, according to Ukrainian deputy prime minister Oleksiy Kuleba. Local authorities reported that two people were wounded in attacks on the surrounding area.
Security and Aid Developments
Amid growing anxieties about the Russian threat, Germany said it will dispatch a group of soldiers to Poland to assist with a project to fortify the nation’s border with Belarus. Poland, a staunch ally of Ukraine, unveiled plans last year to bolster a significant section of its frontier. The primary task of the German soldiers will be “engineering activities,” a military representative said.
In a different incident, approximately 480 passengers were evacuated from a train traveling between the city in Poland of Przemysl and Kyiv after authorities received a report concerning a potential danger. Nobody was injured, and authorities provided no further details on the nature of the threat. Poland's authorities are on heightened alert due to multiple attempts to disrupt trains on the line connecting Warsaw to the Ukrainian border.
Elsewhere, Ukrainian naval officials alleged Russia of intentionally attacking a civilian ship from Turkey carrying cooking oil to Egypt with a drone on Saturday. The statement said the vessel ‘VIVA’ was hit but continued on its journey, with none of the 11 crew members injured.
Additionally, Ukraine welcomed back 114 captives released by Belarus on Saturday, per the Ukrainian PoW coordination centre. The released individuals are to get medical attention, and those Belarusian citizens who choose will be transported to Poland or Lithuania.
