Could Europe take over Ukraine peace talks from Trump? Here's what officials say
on Google
The EU is not about to hold its own peace talks with Russia and has no concrete plans to do so, several bloc's leaders and diplomats have confirmed on May 8, following news reports that suggested otherwise.
The discussions come as U.S.-mediated peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv have remained stalled for more than two months, as Washington is focused on its war with Iran.
Frustration among European capitals at the lack of progress has led EU leaders to prepare for their own talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin, the Financial Times reported on May 7, citing comments by European Council President Antonio Costa.
While Costa said there is "potential" there, most of his comments made do not support the Financial Times' conclusion.
In the same sentence, he said, "this isn't a plan yet," and that "we should avoid disturbing the process" led by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Costa's spokesperson further clarified to the Kyiv Independent that "what the president has said is consistent with his previous statements: there will be a moment when the EU will need to speak to Russia because it is an existential issue for Europe."
But "now it's not the time because we need to give space to the peace process led by Trump," they added.
Likewise, Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, agreed that the EU is not yet ready to talk to Russia, even though "these peace negotiations that are ongoing are not really going anywhere."
First, "we need to also agree what we want to talk to them about," Kallas said.
One demand that Kallas has added to the wishlist: the withdrawal of Russian troops from Moldova's Transnistria region, as she was speaking during her visit to Moldova.
On the Ukrainian side, there is some support for Europe having a go at peace talks.
"If the Americans are taking a break, what about the Europeans? Let's come up with something," one senior Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent, but added that "the Russians don't want (negotiations) without (the Americans)."
"There used to be the Coalition of the Willing — where is it now?"
Diplomats from two EU countries likewise told the Kyiv Independent that there have been no serious talks on a Europe-led peace initiative so far, and one confirmed that there has been no discussion of this among the EU member states' heads of missions.
However, that doesn't mean Europe-led peace talks will never happen.
In February, Kallas circulated a discussion paper among national capitals outlining potential concessions the EU should demand of Russia in any peace talks, as a first step to broaching this topic.
The next step is for foreign ministers to discuss this further when they meet informally in Cyprus at the end of May, after which it could become a discussion item at the next summit of EU leaders on June 18.
Even so, nobody is under the illusion that peace is an imminent prospect. One senior EU official said "there is no willingness from Russia at all to engage seriously in any earnest effort," making the whole exercise "a bit theoretical."
