Posted originally on CTH on December 12, 2025 | Sundance 

NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Frederich Merz hold a press conference as a meeting in Paris this weekend (13th) and Berlin on Monday (15th) are scheduled to finalize EU terms for a negotiated Ukraine-Russia ceasefire.

Within the remarks Merz notes a preliminary document outlining possible land concessions has recently been sent to the Trump administration, and that set of documents likely includes an outline for ‘security guarantees’ assembled by the coalition of the willing (Germany, France and UK). “It mainly concerns the question of what territorial concessions Ukraine is prepared to make,” Mr Merz said. He stressed that any decision on land concessions was up to the Ukrainian government and its people.

Chancellor Merz said, “If we continue as imagined, there will be talks with the US administration over the weekend and there might be a meeting at the beginning of next week in Berlin. Whether the US administration will take part in the meeting depends on the papers we are working on [at present].”

Speaking to an audience together with NATO Secretary Rutte, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, emphasized the 28-point outline originally created by Trump, Rubio, Witkoff and Ukraine/Russia officials was dead. “As the 28-point plan was mentioned, it is no longer existing,” Wadephul said. “We had some influence on it” he remarked, seemingly bragging about how Europe destroyed the U.S plan.

Another report on Thursday said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged Volodymyr Zelensky to accept “painful concessions” for a peace deal. According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, tensions surfaced between the two leaders as Ms Meloni pressed Mr Zelensky to accede to US demands.  “There is sufficient evidence indicating that not everything went smoothly and that some differences were clearly expressed for the first time by both parties,” the newspaper stated.

Meanwhile back in Washington, DC, President Trump delivered remarks on the Ukraine-EU negotiations yesterday, noting his discussions with the European team and the potential for Trump’s emissaries to attend either the Paris or Berlin meeting if something productive can be gained from it.

According to The Telegraph, […] “In Europe, the focus will shift over the weekend to Paris, where the details of the latest peace proposal are expected to be ironed out.

Ukraine is also keen to prevent talks over territorial concessions from happening without parallel discussions on the shape of the security guarantees the US could offer to deter a future Russian invasion.

Officials close to the negotiations have described “incredible pressure” by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to agree to a unilateral withdrawal from the Donbas before any other agreements are struck.

On Thursday, Russia said it had made fresh gains on the front line in Ukraine, where Putin is taking territory slowly and at a heavy cost to his troops.” {source}

Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “Today, we have had a constructive and in-depth discussion with the American team on one of the three documents we are currently working on – the one on security guarantees. The U.S. was represented by Secretary Marco Rubio, Secretary Pete Hegseth, Steve Witkoff,  Jared Kushner, Generals Keane and Grynkewich, and Josh Gruenbaum. My thanks also to Sec Gen NATO Mark Rutte of NATO. We greatly value the active engagement of the American side at all levels – not only in working to end the war, but also in ensuring Ukraine’s security and preventing a new Russian invasion. This reflects the seriousness of America’s intentions and its clear focus on achieving outcomes.”

“Security guarantees are among the most critical elements for all subsequent steps. We have already got the negative experience of the Budapest Memorandum. Everyone remembers this, as well as the occasions when Russia repeatedly violated all its other commitments. That is why it is essential that this document on security guarantees provides concrete answers to what concerns Ukrainians the most: what actions partners will take if Russia decides to launch its aggression again. It was agreed that the teams will work actively to ensure that, in the near future, there will be a clear understanding of the security guarantees. I thank everyone who is helping!” {SOURCE}

Volodymyr Zelenskyy – “We held a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, and this is an important format for supporting Ukraine’s security now and in the future. We are working to ensure that the security guarantees include serious components of European deterrence and are reliable, and it is important that the United States is with us and supports these efforts. No one is interested in a third Russian invasion. And right now, defense support for Ukraine is especially important, because Russia’s attacks are not stopping, and there must be greater protection of life for diplomacy to work toward a just peace. Thank you to everyone who is helping.” {Source}

Ukraine Democracy: 80 diplomat engagements, 30 foreign leader visits, 712 visits by influencers, 5,000 scheduled NATO/EU meetings, briefings and calls, 526 foreign trips, 7,295,000 memos and statements of interest, 280,000 hours of discussion and negotiation, 535 stakeholder briefings, $1,000,000,000 stolen or laundered to international agencies, politicians and Ukraine officials.  Four years. Zero elections!    

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.

My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless.

I must fire my rifle true.

I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me.

I must shoot him before he shoots me.

VIA POLITICO – NATO Chief Mark Rutte urged member countries to do more to prepare for the possibility of large-scale war, warning that Russia may be ready to attack the alliance within five years.

“We are Russia’s next target. And we are already in harm’s way,” Rutte said on Thursday during a speech in Berlin. “Russia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great grandparents endured.”

Although he welcomed the decision by NATO members to increase overall military spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product annually by 2035, Rutte argued more needed to be done, saying alliance members must shift to a “wartime mindset.”

“This is not the time for self-congratulation,” Rutte said. “I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now.” {READ MORE}