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Zelenskyy: Berlin Talks Bring Ukraine Closer to Article 5–Like Guarantees and Russian Reparations
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has moved significantly closer to securing NATO-style security guarantees and a reparations-based funding mechanism following two days of intensive talks with US and European partners in Berlin, describing the discussions as difficult but forward-moving.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has made tangible progress toward securing strong, legally binding security guarantees from its partners following two days of negotiations in Berlin, while cautioning that the path to ending the war remains challenging and contingent upon concrete political decisions, he said, speaking to journalists aboard his plane on December 16.
Zelenskyy said the war’s complexity means there is no simple or painless route to peace. “The path is certainly not easy, because the war is complicated,” he said, adding that speed alone is not enough if it comes at the cost of reliability. “The Americans want a swift resolution; we care about maintaining quality even at this pace.”
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Zelenskyy described the Berlin talks as the first meeting in this specific format involving senior US political and military representatives alongside European partners. While he had hoped to host the discussions in Kyiv, he said he understood why the US delegation could not travel and thanked Germany for hosting the talks.
Congress-backed guarantees and an Article 5 “mirror”
According to Zelenskyy, the negotiations are focused on five key documents, several of which deal directly with security guarantees for Ukraine.
We continue the second day of intensive diplomacy in Berlin. Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine! pic.twitter.com/nSOISLDrdS
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 15, 2025
Some of these, he said, would be legally binding and require approval by the US Congress. “Where Article 5 exists ‘as in NATO’—that is, an Article 5 mirror—this will be voted on by Congress,” he said. “And this is extremely important.”
He stressed that Ukraine judges security commitments by actions, not promises. “We are people of war, and during war, we trust facts,” Zelenskyy said, emphasizing that congressional votes in Washington would be the decisive test of any guarantees.
Yesterday we had our first meeting with Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner, as well as with the U.S. team. Prior to that, our teams had held the relevant meetings. It is very important that our counterparts from the United States of America heard all the details regarding the war. If…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 15, 2025
Reparations loan emerges as financial security guarantee
Beyond security, Zelenskyy said the talks moved into substantive discussions on Ukraine’s recovery.
He confirmed negotiations are underway on funding mechanisms and a special reconstruction fund, and said he raised the issue of housing compensation for internally displaced Ukrainians for the first time at this level.
He estimated the cost at roughly $70–80 billion and said US officials understand the scale of the challenge.
Donbas talks remain unresolved, progress elsewhere
On territorial issues, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine’s position on Donbas remains unchanged. Russia, he said, continues to seek control over the region, but Kyiv will not accept that under any format.
“Neither de jure nor de facto will we recognize the temporarily occupied part of Donbas as Russian,” he said. While territorial questions remain unresolved, Zelenskyy noted progress on other elements of Ukraine’s broader negotiation framework.
“And we do not want to give up our Donbas. The Americans are trying to find a compromise; they are proposing a ‘free economic zone.’ And I want to stress once again: a ‘free economic zone’ does not mean under the control of the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy added.
Europe and US align on joint security framework
Zelenskyy also pointed to what he described as a shift among partners toward closer coordination between the US and Europe. In addition to American guarantees, he said European states are discussing their own role through an expanded “Coalition of the Willing,” which would complement US commitments.
Addressing a proposed reparations-based loan tied to Russia’s frozen assets, Zelenskyy called it a potential “game changer.”
He said access to those funds would serve as a financial security guarantee if the war continues, and a powerful engine for reconstruction if it ends. Without such mechanisms, he warned, Ukraine would face serious funding gaps across defense and recovery.
Zelenskyy concluded by saying the Berlin talks succeeded in bringing the US and Europe closer together on these issues. He confirmed that he and European leaders spoke directly with US President Donald Trump and said further meetings would follow as the documents near completion.
Earlier, European leaders outlined a broad package of security, military, and economic commitments to support Ukraine if a peace agreement with Russia is reached, including long-term backing for Ukraine’s armed forces and new multinational security arrangements.
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
