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US envoys say Europe will join Ukraine-Russia talks; Moscow has not confirmed

US envoys said after meeting Vladimir Putin that European representatives will join the next round of Ukraine peace talks, a claim the Kremlin has not confirmed. The talks also look at the continent's broader security arrangements.

AI-assisted

5 min read

What happened

US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Thursday, as Washington sought new momentum in its peace efforts, according to NPR. France 24 reported that the envoys held more than four hours of talks with Putin.

The envoys then travelled to Ireland. CBC News reported that they went on to talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Dublin. The BBC News said the envoys met Zelenskyy in Dublin on Thursday evening.

The talks in Moscow and Dublin came after two days of US-mediated negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations. NPR reported that those talks ended on Wednesday. They produced no major breakthrough, apart from an agreement to swap a large number of prisoners. The exact figure has not yet been announced.

On Europe, Kushner said: “Both sides have now agreed to expand the next round of negotiations to include our European partners,” as reported by Euronews. Witkoff told reporters before leaving Moscow that “the Europeans will join at the next meeting”, according to CBC News, which said Russian state TV had broadcast the remark.

Euronews reported that Moscow has not confirmed whether it has agreed to include European negotiators in subsequent talks. The claim about Putin's agreement therefore rests on the US side so far.

Why it matters

Analysis: The sources suggest that European exclusion from the recent trilateral talks was a live concern in Kyiv and in European capitals. Zelenskyy said Europe would have a “voice” in future talks and would not be kept “separately” on the sidelines, as had happened in the trilateral negotiations between US, Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi, according to Euronews.

Zelenskyy linked European involvement to prosperity and security guarantees, saying “the war is in Europe.” NPR reported that Kushner said one aim of the Putin meeting was to win the Russian leader's agreement to European representatives taking part in talks on the continent's broader security arrangements.

According to The Hindu, European nations are seeking an envoy to represent them, fearing that a US-backed process will leave them sidelined. The same report says Ukraine is eager for backup from its European allies and is reluctant to leave the talks solely in the hands of the US administration.

Background

The Hindu reported that Kushner had said that if Europe could agree on one person to speak for it, that “would be a bigger achievement than getting the Russians to include them in the negotiation.”

Speaking at the European Political Community meeting in Dublin, French President Emmanuel Macron said: “Without Europeans, there is no support for Ukraine,” according to The Hindu. DW reported that European leaders are under pressure to put forward a name to represent them.

What each side says

The US envoys. Kushner said both sides had agreed to expand the next round to include European partners, and Witkoff said the Europeans would join at the next meeting. Kushner has also said the talks cannot be concluded without Europe. Al Jazeera quoted him saying: “We cannot conclude this deal without the Europeans being at the table.”

Ukraine. Zelenskyy welcomed the pledge to include European delegates, according to the BBC. He told reporters that Europe would have a voice and would not be sidelined.

Russia. A Kremlin aide, Yuri Ushakov, said in comments shared by the Russian foreign ministry on Friday: “For our part, the position of the Europeans has been comprehensively outlined.” He added that Europeans “must decide whether they want peace or the continuation of the war.” Euronews reported that Moscow has not confirmed whether it has agreed to include European negotiators in later talks. Putin reportedly said Russia's position on the war, including its demand for territory, has not changed, according to the BBC. France 24 reported that Putin indicated Moscow will not compromise on its hardline demands to end almost five years of war.

Europe. The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, told the BBC that the presence of a European delegate showed the Kremlin “now realised that Europe is a big player.”

Where the accounts differ

The sources do not agree on whether Europe is already at the table or will only join later. DW quoted an unnamed remark made during the Dublin meetings: “Not directly yet, and not yet when the Russians are at the table,” followed by: “But Europeans are already involved.” DW did not make clear who was speaking.

The sources also differ on the Dublin gatherings. Al Jazeera described an informal meeting of EU heads of state or government in the Irish capital on Friday. The Hindu described a European Political Community meeting in Dublin. The sources do not say whether these were the same event.

What is still unknown

  • The number of prisoners to be exchanged, and when the exchange will happen. Kushner said it would return “thousands of people to their families”, but the BBC reported no further details.
  • Which European countries or representatives will take part, and in what format.
  • Whether Moscow will accept European negotiators at the table. The Kremlin has not confirmed the claim.

What to watch next

  • Whether the Kremlin confirms that European negotiators will join the next round, and whether it sets a date.
  • Whether European nations agree on one envoy to speak for them, a point Kushner's remark reported by The Hindu suggests is still open.
  • The official figure for the prisoner exchange.
  • Any Russian statement on whether its position on territory has changed.

Sources

This article was researched and drafted with AI and reviewed by a Beyond Opinions editor. Spotted an error? Email admin@beyondopinions.com.

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