At the core of the discussions in Berlin is the 20-point peace plan proposal presented to the US by Ukraine last week to counter an initial American plan which was seen as heavily favouring Russia.

A 1,000-strong "dark fleet" of rogue tankers evading sanctions has become a new target for the U.S. and Ukraine, according to a senior maritime intelligence analyst.

The European Union’s effort to tap Russian assets as the main source of international funding for Ukraine is becoming “increasingly difficult” as leaders struggle to agree on a framework, the bloc’s top foreign policy official said.

After almost four years of Russia's full-scale war, Kyiv is running out of cash, and needs an estimated €135.7bn over the next two years.

Ukraine will be unable to avoid increasing freight tariffs as its transport system is targeted by constant Russian attacks, a deputy economy minister was quoted as saying on Monday of measures strongly opposed by the industrial and farming sectors.

Ukraine has relinquished its ambition of joining the NATO military alliance in exchange for Western security guarantees as a compromise to end the war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said ahead of talks with U.S. envoys in Berlin.

The Kremlin has described Ukraine’s push to join NATO as one of the “root causes” of the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump has ruled out Ukrainian membership in the Western defensive alliance. Zelensky is searching for compromises that could secure a peace deal to end Russia’s ongoing invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to give up on demands for Nato membership in exchange for security guarantees from the US and Europe, in a move aimed at advancing peace talks in Berlin on Sunday.