BERLIN, December 17. /TASS/. Germany, alongside other NATO allies, should serve as a guarantor of Ukraine’s security, asserts German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

"Germany, together with its NATO partners, must contribute to providing security guarantees to Ukraine following a ceasefire," Merz stated. He clarified that the details of this contribution "will need to be discussed in due course," expressing hope that the diplomatic efforts already underway "will reach a successful conclusion."

The US-Ukraine talks took place in Berlin on December 14-15. The American delegation included President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, entrepreneur Jared Kushner. On the Ukrainian side, the discussions were attended by Vladimir Zelensky, Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, and Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Andrey Gnatov.

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked that the Kremlin expects the United States to provide information on the outcomes of its consultations with European and Ukrainian counterparts regarding conflict resolution once they are available. He also reiterated Moscow’s firm stance against the deployment of Western contingents in Ukraine, emphasizing that this position remains consistent and well-established.