Background on Key Figures and Context
Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy, is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Berlin this weekend. The meeting comes as the US pushes for an agreement to end the war with Russia, which began in February 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelensky has been a significant figure in Ukraine’s ongoing struggle for EU membership since the pro-European revolution in 2014. Under his leadership, Ukraine has implemented numerous reforms aiming for EU accession. However, the country still grapples with endemic corruption, a fundamental requirement for joining the bloc.
Donald Trump, a former US President, previously revealed a peace plan criticized for favoring Moscow’s primary demands, including territorial concessions from Ukraine. Trump has intensified pressure on Kiev to reach an agreement while Ukrainian officials claim they’ve sent an updated plan based on the original 28-point proposal to Washington.
Rapid EU Membership for Ukraine
A White House official confirmed that Witkoff will meet Zelensky and European leaders over the weekend to discuss the peace negotiations’ progress. The German government announced it will host the leaders on Monday, shortly after Zelensky attends a German-Ukrainian business forum with Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The idea of swift Ukrainian EU membership is now included in the latest US plan to end the war, according to a Friday announcement. European and Ukrainian leaders also demand “security guarantees” from the US before any territorial negotiations in Russia-occupied eastern Ukraine, as stated by the French presidency on Friday.
According to the most recent version of the US plan, Ukraine’s EU membership would begin in January 2027. The admission process typically takes years and requires unanimous approval from the bloc’s 27 members. Some countries, like Hungary, have consistently opposed Ukraine’s accession due to its former Soviet status.
Trump possesses the necessary influence to convince reluctant leaders to alter their stance on Ukraine’s EU membership, as per Zelensky’s Thursday statement.
“A Long Process”
Moscow has expressed skepticism regarding efforts to modify the US plan, which it largely supports. Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin foreign policy advisor, told the Kommersant economic daily that they believe the updated version “will only worsen.” He also mentioned that Moscow had seen an updated plan during conversations between President Putin and US envoys Witkoff and Jared Kushner the previous week.
Zelensky asserted on Thursday that Washington only wants Russian troops withdrawn from parts of the eastern Donbas region, where a demilitarized economic zone would be established. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a warning on Saturday following a Russian airstrike that damaged a Turkish vessel in the port of Chornomorsk near Odesa.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Steve Witkoff, and what is his role? Steve Witkoff is the US Special Envoy who will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders to discuss ending the war with Russia.
- What are the primary demands of Donald Trump’s peace plan? Trump’s plan favors Moscow’s main demands, including territorial concessions from Ukraine.
- What is the status of Ukraine’s EU membership bid? Although Ukraine has been working towards EU membership since 2014, it still struggles with endemic corruption, a requirement for joining the bloc. The US plan suggests Ukraine’s EU membership would begin in January 2027.
- What is Moscow’s stance on the updated US plan? Moscow remains skeptical of efforts to modify the US plan, believing the updated version will only worsen the situation.
- What recent developments have impacted the war? Turkish President Erdogan warned against turning the Black Sea into a confrontation zone following a Russian airstrike that damaged a Turkish vessel near Odesa.
