Ukraine's chief negotiator arrives in Berlin for talks with representatives of Germany, France and UK – Politico

Rustem Umierov, Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council (NSDC), arrived in Berlin on 26 May for talks after Russia warned foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv because of planned airstrikes.

Source: Politico, a Brussels-based politics and policy news organisation, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Sources told Politico that Umierov will meet national security advisers from Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

A spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declined to comment, citing a "confidential meeting".

Ukraine's embassy in Berlin also declined to comment.

The diplomatic contact comes at a critical moment after Russia launched a large-scale strike on Kyiv last weekend and threatened further "consistent and systemic strikes", Politico said.

The Berlin talks also come amid tensions in Merz's relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the German chancellor sent a letter proposing "associate membership" for Ukraine with limited rights and the possibility of becoming a full EU member at a later stage.

Zelenskyy rejected Merz's proposal last weekend, saying that "Ukraine's place in the European Union must also be complete, full and equal".

One EU diplomat, who was also granted anonymity to speak freely, said the timing is "noteworthy".

"Last week, many in Brussels were asking why Merz makes his push for Ukraine's associate membership public just at this moment," the diplomat said. "The fact that Umierov is in Berlin today suggests there is a clear connection in the timing."

Background:

• It was reported that Umierov met Björn Seibert, Head of the Cabinet of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in Brussels to discuss EU-Ukraine defence cooperation.
• Before that, he visited Ankara, where he met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

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