Zelenskyy says progress in U.S.-led peace talks is 'quite solid'

Initial drafts of U.S. proposals for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia meet many of Kyiv's demands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday (December 22, 2025). However, he suggested that neither side in the almost four-year war is likely to get everything it wants in talks on reaching a settlement. Also Read | U.S. intelligence indicates Putin’s war aims in Ukraine are unchanged “Overall, it looks quite solid at this stage,” the Ukrainian leader said of recent talks with U.S. officials who are trying to steer the neighbouring countries toward compromises. “There are some things we are probably not ready for, and I'm sure there are things the Russians are not ready for either,” Mr. Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv. U.S. President Donald Trump has for months been pushing for a peace agreement. However, the negotiations have run into sharply conflicting demands from Moscow and Kyiv. But U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday (December 21) he held “productive and constructive” talks in Florida with Ukrainian and European representatives. Mr. Zelenskyy said that “nearly 90%” of Ukraine's demands have been incorporated into the draft agreements. The backbone of the proposed deal is a 20-point plan, he said. There is also a framework document on security guarantees between Ukraine, European countries, and the United States, as well as a separate document on bilateral security guarantees granted to Ukraine by the U.S.. Mr. Zelenskyy mentioned several key points, such as the Ukrainian army remaining at a peacetime level of 800,000; membership in the European Union; and European forces, under the leadership of France and the UK and with a “backstop” from Washington, ensuring “Ukraine's security in the air, on land, and at sea.” “Some key countries will provide presence in these domains; others will contribute to energy security, finance, bomb shelters, and so on,” the Ukrainian president said. Ukraine is arguing that the bilateral document with the US should be reviewed by the U.S. Congress, with some details and annexes kept classified, Mr. Zelenskyy said. The U.S. team is now in talks with Russian envoys, and Washington has asked that no details be released, he added. Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia Mr. Zelenskyy said on Monday (December 22) he met with his military commanders, who reported that defensive lines are holding firm against the Russian onslaught. “In (recent) weeks, the Russian army has significantly increased the intensity of attacks, and the number of Russian losses has increased accordingly,” he said in a post on Telegram. Ukrainian forces hit an oil terminal, a pipeline, two parked jet fighters and two ships in a series of strikes on Russian soil, officials said Monday. The attacks are part of an ongoing campaign to disrupt the Russian war effort and sow fear behind the front line, where outnumbered Ukrainian troops are straining to hold back Russia's bigger army. The strikes also seek to undermine President Vladimir Putin's attempt to portray Russia as negotiating from a position of military strength in U.S.-led peace efforts, which have...

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