Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that trilateral peace negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine do not involve the participation of European Union representatives. According to RBC-Ukraine, he made this statement on air, referencing the Telegram channel "Vy slushali". The statement came amid active diplomatic momentum surrounding the settlement format, which, according to the Russian leadership, exclusively involves Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington.
Accusations against Brussels
Speaking further, Peskov reiterated accusations against official Brussels, claiming it maintains what he termed a "provocative position" aimed at further fueling and prolonging the war. "We do not need such participants. And the Americans themselves hardly need them either; on the contrary, they are trying to achieve peace," the Kremlin representative stated. Thus, Moscow publicly made it clear that it considers the European Union not as a mediator, but as a party whose presence at the negotiating table is undesirable.
Context: telephone talks with Norway and Finland
The statement followed soon after Vladimir Putin's telephone conversations with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, dedicated to ending the Russian-Ukrainian war. Following these talks, the Kremlin stated its readiness to continue discussions with the leaders of both countries. According to TSN, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov noted on October 27 that when Stubb and Støre initiated a phone call with Putin, they raised issues regarding ways to end the war, the prospects for trilateral meetings in Abu Dhabi, and security in the Baltic region.
Kyiv's position: Russia's neighbors, not just Europeans
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously explained why Støre and Stubb called Putin and what outcome they expected. According to him, Norway and Finland conducted these negotiations not merely as European countries, but as neighboring countries of Russia. "And it is fair that they share this information with all Europeans and discuss the agenda with Ukraine, Europe, and the United States. They want to have a major role," the head of state explained, adding that Kyiv has "very good relations" with these countries and that Norway is not a member of the European Union.
Negotiation format: strictly three parties
Moscow's position on excluding Europe from the negotiation process was also confirmed at the level of the presidential aide. Ushakov stated that European states are not intended to be given a seat at the negotiating table for settling the war in Ukraine. "They can get there if they buy tickets, but no one is going to invite them to the negotiating table," he said, explaining that agreements have been reached only on resuming the trilateral dialogue involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, and involving European diplomats in this structure was never initially intended.
International reaction and prospects
Against the background of these statements, differing rhetoric among participants persists. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted on September 22 that the conflict in Ukraine has no military solution and will end at the negotiating table. In Kyiv, meanwhile, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that as long as Russia intensifies terror against the civilian population, its leader Vladimir Putin has no place at the negotiating table. Earlier, Zelenskyy also expressed a desire to hold a meeting in Abu Dhabi within the framework of US, China, and Russia negotiations. The combination of these signals indicates that the question of the circle of participants in the settlement remains one of the key and still unresolved issues.
