Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a notable visit to the frontline city of Kupiansk on Friday, mere weeks following Russia’s assertion that it had gained control of the area.

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

“Today, I am here in the Kupiansk sector, alongside our brave warriors who are securing Ukraine’s future,” Zelenskyy stated. “The Russians have been boasting about Kupiansk, but the reality speaks volumes. I met with our troops and expressed my gratitude to them.”

Back in November, Russian state media outlet Tass reported that Russian forces had “liberated” Kupiansk, located in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. This report was based on a briefing from Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russia’s general staff, to President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was filmed in front of a sign reading “Kupiansk” in the frontline town in the Kharkiv region on December 12, 2025. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)

Zelenskyy’s visit coincides with preparations for upcoming negotiations in Berlin this Sunday. The discussions will involve U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, focusing on 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 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.