A senior Kremlin official argued this week that European governments cannot be sidelined from negotiations over ending the war in Ukraine, saying Washington alone has been unable to move Kyiv toward an agreement. The comments come as diplomats on multiple sides signal a possible resumption of three-way talks in the coming weeks.
What the Kremlin adviser said
Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy aide to President Vladimir Putin, said the United States has struggled to persuade Ukraine to accept terms for a settlement, despite earlier expectations in Moscow that Washington could apply decisive pressure. He said involving European countries directly in the process is necessary because they have consistently backed Ukraine throughout the conflict. Ushakov framed this as a practical acknowledgment of Europe's leverage rather than a shift in Russia's broader negotiating position.
Europe's shifting posture
For much of the past year, European Union governments largely deferred to former President Donald Trump's administration to lead contacts with Moscow. That approach has changed in recent months, with the EU moving toward more direct engagement with Russia on the terms of any future settlement. Leaders in Britain, Germany and France have publicly supported the idea of talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and President Putin aimed at reaching a ceasefire, a sign that European capitals now see themselves as stakeholders in the outcome rather than bystanders.
Planned talks and upcoming dates
Ushakov said Russia is ready to resume three-party negotiations involving Ukraine and the United States after November 4, which marks Russia's National Unity Day holiday. Separately, Zelenskiy said negotiators from the relevant sides are expected to meet in the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, with the hope that a subsequent meeting of national leaders could follow. Ushakov also referenced preparations for a possible encounter between Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump on the sidelines of the APEC summit in mid-November.
What remains unclear
No date, agenda or venue has been confirmed for a leaders-level meeting, and officials involved have described the Abu Dhabi talks as preparatory rather than conclusive. It is also not yet clear what role, if any, European governments would formally play in direct negotiations, as opposed to being consulted on their outcome. Statements from Moscow should be read as part of an ongoing diplomatic positioning process, not confirmation that a settlement is imminent.