Efforts to broker a settlement in the Russia-Ukraine war accelerated this week, with the Trump administration doubling down on a US-brokered peace proposal while European leaders call for a parallel dialogue track with Moscow.
Recently, US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s senior adviser, spent three days in Miami wrapping up discussions with Ukrainian negotiators, following a five-hour Moscow meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Saturday, December 6, the US team held a two-hour video call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to two Ukrainian officials cited by Axios, the proposal would require Ukraine to cede significant territory in the Donbas region — a major sticking point for Kyiv.
In an interview released Tuesday, Trump urged Zelenskyy to get on the ball and start accepting things, warning that the Ukrainian leader risked losing ground if he delayed. The Financial Times reported the US is seeking a deal finalized by Christmas, but Zelenskyy told US mediators he needed time to consult key European partners.
Meanwhile, in London on Monday, December 8, Zelenskyy met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. A UK government statement said all four leaders underscored the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, while emphasizing Kyiv’s territorial integrity.
Across Europe, calls are growing for renewed dialogue with Russia as part of a comprehensive peace push. Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg — a former secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization — joined a panel hosted by the Atlantic Council of Finland on Tuesday, December 9. Speaking alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Stoltenberg stressed that Russia remains a neighbor and urged continued communication to pave the way for arms control and a broader settlement.
Stubb added that the prospect for peace is closer than ever since the conflict began, though he cautioned that details on territorial concessions and security assurances for Ukraine remain unresolved. He noted negotiators are crafting a 20-point framework outlining post-war security guarantees and reconstruction plans.
With Christmas just weeks away, the twin tracks of US-led negotiations and European dialogue with Moscow have set the stage for a critical period. The coming days will test whether these parallel efforts can converge into a deal that delivers stability and honour for Ukraine, while meeting broader security concerns across the continent.
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Trump pushes peace plan while Norwegian minister urges talks
cgtn.com
