The Kremlin has emphasized the importance of including European nations in peace discussions regarding Ukraine. Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to President Vladimir Putin, stated that Europe’s stance could play a significant role in any resolution during an interview aired on state television on Sunday.
Ushakov remarked that the United States has not been effective in persuading Kyiv to accept a peace agreement. He noted, “Before, it seemed after Anchorage that the US administration might be able to dictate something and force Kyiv to comply. But so far, this hasn’t really worked out,” referring to a meeting in Anchorage in 2025 between former US President Donald Trump and Putin.
He argued that dialogue should extend beyond Kyiv, stating, “It’s not enough to talk only to Kyiv; we need to talk to the whole of Europe, which fully supports Kyiv.”
The European Union has recently made tentative moves towards engaging with Russia after initially relying on Trump to mediate an end to the conflict. Leaders from Britain, Germany, and France have expressed support for a proposal advocating for talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin to achieve a ceasefire, indicating Europe’s intended involvement in future negotiations.
Russia has expressed willingness to engage in negotiations, provided there are no ultimatums. Ushakov added that Russia is prepared to resume three-party peace talks with Ukraine and the US following Russia’s National Unity Day on November 4. This aligns with Kremlin statements that Putin is open to US-mediated discussions by next month.
Additionally, Ushakov mentioned that preparations are underway for a potential meeting involving Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Trump during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China, scheduled for November 18-19. However, he clarified that a separate meeting between Putin and Trump in Shenzhen has yet to be confirmed.
