Kremlin: Europe must be involved in Ukraine talks

Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov said on Sunday that Europe must participate in discussions on a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict, as its position could be decisive.

In an interview with state television reporter Pavel Zarubin, Ushakov added that the United States has not been able to pressure Kyiv into agreeing to a peace deal.

Ushakov said, “After the Anchorage meeting, it previously seemed that the US administration might be able to impose its terms and force Kyiv to comply. But so far, that has not actually worked,” referring to a meeting held in 2025 in Anchorage between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He added, “It is not enough to talk only to Kyiv; we need to talk to Europe as a whole, which provides Kyiv with full support.”

Initially leaving it to Trump to try to mediate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, the European Union has taken cautious steps toward Russia.

Leaders of Britain, Germany, and France announced their support for a proposal to hold talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin in an effort to achieve a ceasefire, stating that Europe will play a role in this regard.

Russia has previously said it is open to dialogue but does not accept threats.

Ushakov said on Sunday that Russia is ready to resume trilateral peace talks with Ukraine and the United States after Russia’s National Unity Day on November 4.

This confirms statements from the Kremlin in recent days indicating Putin’s readiness to resume US-mediated talks with Ukraine as soon as possible next month.

Zelenskyy said on Friday that negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States had agreed to meet at a technical level in the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, adding that he hopes this will be followed by a meeting between the leaders of the three countries.