European leaders gathered in Berlin to discuss ongoing peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia, with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressing cautious optimism about a peace plan ready for presentation to Russia in the coming days. However, key territorial issues remain a sticking point. Amidst this atmosphere, the U.S. has pledged limited time ‘Article 5-like’ security guarantees to Ukraine, emphasizing the necessity of territorial agreements. While Zelenskyy sees progress in negotiations, he firmly rejects ceding any land to Russia. He also mentioned that Ukraine is willing to abandon its NATO membership aspirations in exchange for Western security assurances. As talks continue, both the U.S. and European leaders are exploring the idea of a multinational peacekeeping force to bolster Ukraine’s defenses against potential future aggression from Russia.