Witkoff to meet Zelenskyy and European leaders for latest round of peace talks
The meeting comes as Washington has been stepping up pressure on Kyiv to back a US-led peace plan
US President Donald Trump's overseas envoy will travel to Germany this weekend to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders for the latest round of peace talks.
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Steve Witkoff, who has been leading US efforts to mediate between Ukraine and Russia, will discuss the latest version of the proposed peace agreement in Berlin.
The US is pushing for a deal to be in place by Christmas and has held several rounds of talks with Ukrainian and Russian representatives in recent weeks.
Germany's government has said Berlin will host the leaders, including the heads of the European Union and NATO, next Monday in the hours after Zelenskyy attends a German-Ukrainian business forum with Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Confirmation of the Witkoff-Zelenskyy meeting comes days after Ukraine gave the US its revised version of a 20-point peace plan, which first emerged in late November.
Read More: Zelenskyy proposes referendum on land concessions as Ukraine hands US updated peace plan
The exchange of territory in eastern Ukraine remains one of the most controversial parts of the proposal, with Kyiv refusing to give up illegally occupied land, and Moscow repeating its intention to take the Donbas region in full by force unless Ukraine withdraws.
Ukraine and other European states recently commented on progress being made on securing amendments to a plan which was widely viewed as favouring Russia when it first emerged.
However there have also been indications in recent weeks that Trump is losing patience with Zelenskyy and his European partners.
Zelenskyy said elections could be held within 90 days if the US and Europe provided the necessary security. He has also discussed creating a "free economic zone" in the east of the country, where Kyiv's troops would withdraw from.
As the White House's diplomatic push continues, attention in Europe is focused on how to support Ukraine in the event of a peace deal, with talks ongoing over security guarantees and funding.