During a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to make every effort to accomplish meaningful progress in stabilizing the situation in Donbas, according to the Ukrainian president's office.

Following a meeting between European leaders and Eastern Partnership members Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: "I was able to persuade our European colleagues that it is more vital for us to have sanctions implemented before rather than after the start of any conflict...because if that happens, there will be no escalation." 

Ukrainian President's Office statement

The Ukrainian President's office statement said: "Volodymyr Zelensky, Olaf Scholz, and Emmanuel Macron agreed to make every effort to achieve real progress in stabilizing the situation in Donbas and called on the resumption of constructive work for this in the Normandy format." 

During the meeting with @EmmanuelMacron and @OlafScholz, thanked for their strong support for 🇺🇦 against the background of the military threat of 🇷🇺, as well as for the consistent position of 🇩🇪 and 🇫🇷 in the Normandy format. Confirmed willingness to continue our work. pic.twitter.com/3w6A0QmuXh

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 15, 2021

During the discussion, the parties agreed that active work in the Normandy framework should continue and that the decisions reached by the four parties at the summit in Paris on December 9, 2019, should be implemented.

The Ukrainian president's office said: "Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that this concerns, first of all, such urgent measures to stabilize the situation in the conflict zone as ensuring compliance with the ceasefire, mutual release of detainees, and opening of two new checkpoints."

Coordinated positions with @CharlesMichel before the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit. Our goal is 🇺🇦 full membership in 🇪🇺. Informed about the situation on the eastern borders. We expect clear signals following the @EUCouncil meeting on Dec 16 on the inadmissibility of escalation. pic.twitter.com/hlV6Q8CsY4

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 15, 2021

The statement added that Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Ukraine is not the subject of any provocations and that near its border, it has no hostile intentions toward any parties, adding that his country is dedicated to settling the problem through diplomatic means.

In addition, Ukraine's president expressed hope that Russia will withdraw its troops from the country's borders.

Zelensky wants the US to play a major role in resolving the conflict

During a news conference in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he would like the United States to play a central, rather than incidental, role in resolving the crisis in Donbas.

Today, Zelensky said on the air of the Rada broadcaster: "Whether the Normandy format works or not depends only on the result. If it depended only on Ukraine, it would work more reliably and more efficiently," adding that the Ukrainian side is "working on parallel steps."

Zelensky announced: "I am glad that the United States wants to play one role or another in this. He added that he "would like them to play a major role, not an episodic one, in a peaceful settlement [in Donbas]." 

Putin demands immediate talks with NATO on Russian security

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that he wants "immediate" talks with the United States and NATO over security guarantees amid the rising pressures between Russia, Ukraine, and the West. 

A phone conversation between Putin and the Finnish President Sauli Niinsto took place where Putin reiterated and stressed that he wants negotiations to take place with no delay. 

The Kremlin released a statement after the said conversation, saying that Putin indicated the need to immediately launch negotiations with the United States and NATO to “determine legal guarantees for the security of our country, with the aim of ruling out the future expansion of the alliance to the east and the deployment of weapons systems that threaten Russia in Ukraine and other neighboring countries." 

Putin, reiterating the same demands with France's Emmanuel Macron, demanded that NATO stop expanding east and deploying weapons in the region, including in Ukraine. 

Furthermore, Putin contended that Ukraine is using "heavy weapons and attack drones" in Donbas.