Ukraine urges EU to take a more active role in Russia talks

Ukraine is urging the European Union to help negotiate an end to the war with Russia, with the issue due to be discussed by European foreign ministers at an informal meeting in Cyprus. The talks come as EU officials consider whether to re-engage with Moscow after US mediation efforts stalled, while Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine. Kyiv says it wants to introduce what it calls "new dynamics" into the negotiation process.

Sponsored

Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said Kyiv wanted "a new format of talks with the Russian side" and suggested there should be "more active participation by the European side". The discussion is expected to focus on whether the EU can play a more direct diplomatic role, rather than leaving the process largely to Washington. A spokesperson for Mario Draghi said he "prefers not to comment at this stage" when asked about speculation that the former Italian prime minister could be considered for an envoy role.

Other names have also been mentioned in connection with a possible European envoy. Finnish President Alexander Stubb said he "probably couldn't answer in the negative" if offered the task, but only after Russia agreed to a ceasefire. Former German chancellor Angela Merkel has also been rumoured as a possible candidate, although Sybiha did not comment on any names.

The Kremlin has said it would be open to the idea only if the person appointed had not said "all sorts of nasty things" about Russia. The diplomatic discussion is taking place against a backdrop of renewed violence. Over the weekend, Kyiv was hit by missiles and drones in one of the most intense attacks of the war so far, and Moscow has since threatened "systematic strikes" on the city.

Sponsored

Russia has warned foreigners to leave and locals to beware, while also accusing the EU of encouraging Ukraine militarily and undermining peace efforts. The timing gives added weight to the question of whether a broader European role could change the shape of any future negotiations. The issue also reflects the limits of the current US-led approach.

The article says Russian officials prefer to talk to the US, partly because of status and partly because President Donald Trump's envoys have been described as deeply unchallenging. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Washington was not interested in hosting "an endless cycle of meetings that lead to nothing", before later clarifying that the US remained ready to mediate if the opportunity arose. That leaves the EU weighing whether it can help create a format that is more acceptable to Kyiv and more relevant to European security.

What remains unclear is whether Moscow would engage seriously with any EU-backed initiative, and if so, under what conditions. It is also not clear who, if anyone, could serve as a credible envoy acceptable to both sides. The Cyprus meeting may offer an early test of whether European ministers are prepared to move beyond general support for Ukraine and into a more direct mediation role.

#Ukraine #EuropeanUnion #Russia #diplomacy #mediation