A senior Kremlin official said that Russian police and National Guard will stay on in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas and oversee the industry-rich region, even if a peace settlement ends Russia’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine.

The remarks by Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov underscore Moscow’s ambition to maintain its presence in Donbas post-war. Ukraine is likely to reject such a stance as US-led negotiations drag on.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s office said he would host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday for talks as peace efforts gain momentum and European leaders seek to steer negotiations.

Afterwards, numerous European heads of state and government, as well as the leaders of the European Union and Nato, will join the meeting, a statement said.

Moscow will give its ble

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