On a pivotal visit to the frontline city of Kupiansk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an appearance on Friday, marking his presence just weeks after Russia asserted that its forces had seized control of the area.

A video shared on the platform X captures Zelenskyy clad in a flak jacket, standing before a severely damaged sign in Cyrillic script bearing the name “Kupiansk.”

“Today, I am here in the Kupiansk sector with our brave warriors who are fulfilling their duties for Ukraine,” he declared. “Despite Russian claims about Kupiansk, the reality is evident. I have visited our troops to commend them on their efforts.”

Back in November, the Russian state news agency TASS reported that Russian forces had successfully “liberated” the city of Kupiansk, located in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. This statement was based on a briefing delivered by Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the general staff of Russia’s armed forces, to President Vladimir Putin.

In a related visual, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy can be seen recording a video in front of the “Kupiansk” sign in the contested town within the Kharkiv region on December 12, 2025. (Image courtesy of the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)

Zelenskyy’s visit comes as he and his negotiating team prepare for a new round of talks Sunday in Berlin with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.

He is also expected to hold talks with European leaders on a broader political agreement to end the war and secure long-term safety for Ukraine, as well as plans to support the country’s postwar recovery and development.

“We are focusing on how to reliably guarantee Ukraine’s security so that the experience of the Budapest Memorandum and Russia’s invasion are never repeated. We are counting on constructive talks,” said Zelenskyy on X.

Ukrainian soldiers carry the coffin of fallen comrade Roman Kolodiy, Taras Sovhan, or Roman Kashuba during a funeral ceremony on Jan. 4, 2025, in Lviv, Ukraine. (Michael Sorrow/Anadolu via Getty Images)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz added that any sustainable ceasefire in Ukraine must include firm guarantees and protect European security interests, warning that peace cannot be reached at the expense of the EU or NATO or without their participation.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte echoed those concerns last week, warning members of the transatlantic alliance that they could be Russia’s next target.

Rutte, speaking at the Bavarian State Representation during a Munich Security Conference event in Germany, told attendees that raising defense spending wasn’t a moment for self-congratulation while Russia continues its large-scale attacks on Ukraine.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte hold a press conference at the Chancellery in Berlin on Dec. 11, 2025. (Liesa Johannssen/Reuters)

“I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now,” he said.

The NATO chief urged allies to boost defense spending and production, saying their armed forces must have the resources needed to protect their homelands, and cautioning that Moscow could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years.