Against the backdrop of Donald Trump’s statements that the American leader will focus on the war in Ukraine after the agreement with Iran, the European Union has taken steps to involve Russian leaders in discussions. Negotiations with Moscow would be conducted behind the scenes on ways to end the war in Ukraine. The initiative is said to belong to the President of the European Council, António Costa, who discreetly contacted the Kremlin, reports Bloomberg.
The publication’s sources reported on two telephone conversations between a high-ranking adviser to Costa, who had previously requested discussions with the Kremlin, and a high-ranking Russian official close to President Vladimir Putin.
The names of the negotiators and the dates of their conversations were not disclosed. The purpose of the contacts would have been to prepare the ground for more substantial discussions in the future. Neither Costa’s press secretary, nor the Kremlin’s spokesperson, commented on the situation.
Since May, both in Brussels and Moscow, there has been talk about the need for a dialogue between the EU and Russia regarding the war in Ukraine.
Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, in coordination with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenski, have independently discussed a strategy for involving Putin in peace talks, writes The Moscow Times.
Previously, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, revealed that the EU intends to present its own demands to Russia, as part of potential peace talks regarding Ukraine. These include the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova and from the separatist enclaves of Georgia.