European Union leaders are gathering this week at the end of political year dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Reporting his team's progress in Berlin, the US president stated that they are closer to a peace deal than “we have been ever”.

EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump has "written off today's Europe" and will forge "a pact of gold and steel" with Putin, a foreign policy expert has warned.

US President Donald Trump's comments come after hours-long diplomatic discussions between the US, European, and NATO leaders and Zelenskyy in Berlin to negotiate a peace deal. , US News, Times Now

President Donald Trump warned that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could spiral into a world war if the parties keep "playing games."

Last week, America issued a National Security Strategy with some scathing words about its Nato allies in Europe. Europe, the strategy document claimed, is at risk of civilisational erasure. Donald Trump’s often sounded negative about the alliance and its European members. Here he is talking to Politico earlier this week.

President Donald Trump asked when Ukraine would have democratic elections at a press availability on Wednesday. REPORTER: And you said in an interview yesterday that you think it's time for Zelensky to start accepting things.

The president said he had exchanged “pretty strong words” with European leaders, while Russia signaled it saw itself as increasingly on the same page as the U.S.