More and more it seems that he is concerned about the possibility of contacts with the war in , but also with Russia itself, as the discussions on the issue continue at a high level, while corresponding statements on the issue are also made by the Russian side. The main initiator of the initiative, the president of Antonio Costa, argued after the conclusion of the Council meeting that the EU “is not and does not intend to be a mediator” in the possible negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Costa underlined that the Union remains firmly on the side of Kiev and will continue to support Ukraine “during the war and after the war”, while stressing that there are currently no reliable indications that Russia is ready for meaningful negotiations.
Referring to contacts with Moscow, he noted that, through his office, it is sought to maintain a limited diplomatic channel so that the EU can convey its positions directly, without relying solely on third parties to interpret Russian messages. He said the different roles of the actors involved are complementary and there is no competition in peace efforts, with Ukraine remaining the only legitimate negotiator for its future.
What did the president of the European Commission say?
The president of the European Council added that he is in close coordination with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who for her part said that “Ukraine wants peace, Europe wants peace”, attributing the responsibility for the continuation of the war to Russia. Von der Leyen underlined that Europe must play a role in shaping a “just and lasting peace”.
The President of the Commission estimated that “sooner or later” Russia will be forced to come to the negotiating table, mainly due to the pressure from European sanctions, and underlined the need for “a united European message to President Putin”. At the same time, it confirmed its close cooperation with Antonio Costa and the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for the achievement of this goal.
Macron also intervened on the matter
In the same context, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Europeans must participate in the future peace talks, as they directly concern the security of Europe. He also left open the possibility of Antonio Costa taking part in such a process, provided his role is clarified. “We have always supported the idea that, when the talks take place, Europeans should be at the negotiating table because it is in Europe’s interests,” Macron said, speaking at the end of the European Union summit in Brussels.
Russia is positive in contacts, but without ultimatums
For its part, Russia said it remains open to dialogue with European countries, but will not accept “ultimatums”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov argued that a possible resumption of contacts should be based on realism rather than pressure efforts, accusing Europe of approaching Moscow from a position of strength.
Peskov proceeded with particularly harsh reports, speaking of a “misunderstanding” of the Russian attitude on the part of Europeans, while attributing this approach to either “incompetence or misinformation.” He also reminded that Russia considers that the European countries have stopped contacts and that they should take the first step to restart the dialogue.
As he said: “The Europeans have a very serious misunderstanding: They believe that negotiations with Russia must be carried out from a position of strength and based on Russia’s weakness. This is the biggest mistake. This kind of talk leads nowhere. Is this due to European incompetence, misinformation or stupidity? We don’t know for sure, but it’s a fact.”
Vladimir Putin has previously said he is open to talks with European governments, provided there is an initiative on their part, and since the start of the war the European Union has moved to impose 20 packages of sanctions against Russia.
