The Latest Breaking News from Friedrich Merz

German Chancellor says this remains a far-off prospect; Zelenskyy says negotiations on peace deal could soon be finalised. What we know on day 1,393

US meeting with Ukrainian and European leaders positive on security guarantees, but hardest questions unresolved

Germany's chancellor said "perhaps for the first time" since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, reaching a ceasefire appears possible after two days of talks brought "progress on many issues."

THE INDEPENDENT VIEW: Editorial: Thanks to the growing Russian threat against Europe and Nato – at a time when AI is changing the very nature of warfare – the new head of MI6 is right to caution that ‘the front line is everywhere’. The appropriate response can be summed up…

The speech is the latest in a series of warnings by Western defence and security authorities about the growing hybrid threat from states such as Russia, Iran and China.

Proposal is part of new package of security guarantees, backed by the White House, that could mark breakthrough in reaching agreement

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is using talks in Berlin to rally European backing, shape US-led peace efforts and test whether Kyiv could trade its NATO ambitions for binding security guarantees. This comes as disagreements over territory, funding and Russia’s intentions continue to complicate the search for an end to the…

European leaders are expected to cement support for Ukraine as it faces Washington’s pressure to swiftly accept a U.S.-brokered peace deal

US officials said that Kyiv would be offered ‘Article Five-type’ security guarantees in a peace deal

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prepared to renounce NATO membership if there are security guarantees. US envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are also present at the major Berlin meeting on the war in Ukraine.

U.S. envoys are due in Berlin for another round of talks intended to secure a deal to end the war