The key facts

  • The US plans to resume technical talks in November after the midterm elections; Kyiv welcomes any format, Moscow is 'in principle ready'
  • The EU wants joint representation by the Commission and the European Council; Peskov does not rule out Europe's participation but confirms the trilateral format of the round in Abu Dhabi
  • Trump's deal with Putin on diesel fuel and sanctions easing alarmed European capitals; no special envoy candidate was agreed at the EU summit

EU Seeks Expanded Role in the Talks

The European Union is seeking a more prominent role in peace talks to end Russia's war against Ukraine, not ruling out direct contacts with Moscow either. According to Euronews, Brussels views the possible resumption of talks as a chance to move from a trilateral format to a multilateral one, seating European representatives at the table and influencing Washington's position, which, according to the outlet, has recently shifted sharply in Moscow's favor, causing alarm in European capitals. At the same time, Europeans have experience of American partners catching them off guard or ignoring them, so there is no guarantee of success.

The Parties' Positions on the Format

The US intends in November, after the midterm elections, to resume trilateral consultations at the technical level. Ukraine says it welcomes any format at any time; Russia says it is 'in principle ready.' The peace process stalled in February, when the US started a war against Iran and shifted its diplomatic focus to the Middle East. European Commission deputy chief spokesperson Arianna Podesta said on Friday that a multilateral discussion at senior officials' level with EU participation is expected, and that the union's interests should be jointly represented by the European Commission and the European Council. Asked about possible in-person meetings between European officials and Russian representatives, she did not rule out such an option but gave no details.

Kremlin: The Next Round Will Remain Trilateral

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov this time did not object to European participation, as had happened before, but stressed that the upcoming round of talks, scheduled for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, will take place in a trilateral format. 'Nothing can be ruled out a priori,' Peskov said. It remains unclear whether both EU institutions will get a seat at the table: in previous rounds in Miami and Oslo, only Björn Seibert, head of the cabinet of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, participated from European structures, while Adam Lurti, head of the cabinet of European Council President António Costa, was not invited. In Miami, the national security advisers of Germany, France and the UK (the 'E3') and NATO were present; in Oslo, Italy replaced France.

Context: Distrust and the Search for a Special Envoy

The discussions in Miami and Oslo concerned security guarantees for Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and post-war reconstruction. After Oslo, US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin for almost three hours in Saint Petersburg; the Kremlin later called his proposals 'of little practical value,' but made clear it was ready to resume technical consultations. According to EU officials and diplomats, Moscow has not yet shown readiness to abandon its maximalist demands, but given the high stakes, Europe cannot remain an observer. US President Donald Trump's decision to conclude a deal with Putin on diesel fuel supplies and ease long-standing sanctions alarmed European capitals. Volodymyr Zelensky, whom Trump has repeatedly criticized, called on European leaders to create their own diplomatic channel with Moscow. Earlier this year, Costa quietly established such a channel, but the initiative yielded no results and was frozen. At last week's EU summit, the idea of appointing a special envoy was discussed again; no agreed candidate emerged, but Finnish President Alexander Stubb, co-chair of the Oslo talks, returned to the discussion. Moscow said it could accept Stubb as a mediator on condition that he does not 'parrot' the European position — a requirement that, according to Euronews, is unlikely to be acceptable to a convinced supporter of Ukraine.