Berlin, 16 December 2025 (PA Media/dpa/MIA) - European leaders have set out conditions for peace in Ukraine following a meeting in Berlin.

Any deal with Russia will have to allow Kiev to maintain its armed forces at 800,000 troops, involve a European-led multinational force operating inside Ukraine and support the country joining the European Union.

Meanwhile, US officials have reportedly offered unspecified security guarantees to Ukraine.

Leaders from 10 countries and the EU attended the Berlin meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday night, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who earlier told members of parliament (MPs) the UK “cannot let up” its efforts to bring about peace.

In a joint statement, Starmer and other leaders said they and the United States had “committed to work together to provide robust security guarantees” and economic support “in the context” of a peace deal.

And they set out six commitments to be included in any deal, including on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces and the involvement of Europe and the US.

A limit of 800,000 personnel is a significant increase on an earlier draft of the US-backed plan, which had suggested 600,000, and according to Zelensky, is only slightly below the current size of the Ukrainian military.

The conditions also included a role for the “multinational force Ukraine” currently being developed by the “coalition of the willing” led by Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron, along with a US-backed ceasefire monitoring mechanism and a binding commitment to come to Ukraine’s aid if Russia attacks again.

Other conditions included an agreement to invest in Ukraine’s economic future, “taking into account” the need for Russia to provide compensation, and strong support for Kiev’s accession to the EU.

While the joint statement included a role for NATO in “providing robust deterrence,” the conditions did not include a reference to Ukraine joining the alliance, something that Moscow is strongly opposed to.

The leaders said it was “now incumbent upon Russia to show willingness to work towards a lasting peace” by signing up to the plan and agreeing a ceasefire.

Monday’s meeting in Berlin follows almost a year of discussions about a peace deal following US President Donald Trump’s promise to end the war on his first day in office in January.

Moscow has so far resisted calls for a ceasefire, and is strongly opposed to any deal that sees NATO troops deployed in Ukraine.

Russia has also repeatedly pushed for Ukraine to give up territory in exchange for peace.

On Monday, the European leaders said international borders “must not be changed by force,”, but added decisions on territory were “for the people of Ukraine” to make once effective security guarantees were in place.

The meeting was hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and, along with Starmer and Zelensky, was attended by the leaders of Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden, as well as European Council President Antonio Costa and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

It is understood US negotiators also agreed to the joint statement.

Zelensky said there had been “progress” on an agreement, with the military aspects looking “quite solid,” but added there were some “destructive” elements to the US proposal that should not appear in “new versions.”

He added: “We will do everything possible to find clear answers to questions about security guarantees, territories, and money as compensation for Ukraine to rebuild.”

Photo: EBS