Russia rebuffs French proposal for European role in Ukraine peace negotiations, FT reports
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Russia has rejected attempts by European allies to take on a greater role in Ukraine peace negotiations, the Financial Times reported on March 15, citing European diplomats involved in the talks.
European efforts to secure a seat at the negotiating table were rebuffed after French officials met with Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov in Moscow last month.
According to the FT, French national security adviser Emmanuel Bonne and adviser Bertrand Buchwalter urged Moscow to accept a greater role for Ukraine’s European partners during talks in the Russian capital.
A senior European diplomat described Ushakov’s response bluntly, saying it was essentially: “Sorry, actually, no we don’t.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also dismissed European involvement, telling the FT that “the Europeans don’t want to help the peace process,” and claiming that when the French delegation visited Moscow “he didn’t bring any positive signals.”
“Unfortunately, the Europeans are spending all their efforts on convincing the Ukrainians to continue the war,” Peskov said. “We are convinced the Europeans are making a mistake from the perspective of their own future.”
Meanwhile, U.S.-led peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are losing momentum as Washington shifts its attention toward the Middle East conflict, the FT reported.
According to the report, the war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran has diverted Washington’s political focus away from Ukraine, while rising global oil prices and relaxed U.S. enforcement of sanctions have provided Russia with additional revenue.
Negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian officials mediated by the U.S. are now “really in the danger zone,” one senior European official told the FT, while another diplomat warned that the Middle East crisis had “severely reoriented political attention” away from Ukraine.
The last round of trilateral talks between Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington took place in Geneva on Feb. 17–18, while another meeting scheduled for March 5 in Abu Dhabi was postponed following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and has not yet been rescheduled.
European officials also warned that U.S. weapons shipments — particularly air defense systems — could be delayed as Washington prioritizes military resources for the Middle East, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas saying there is now “competition for the same assets” between Ukraine and regional partners.
Peskov acknowledged that “a pause has indeed appeared in the talks” as the U.S. focuses on other priorities.
Despite diplomatic efforts by European leaders to keep Ukraine on the international agenda, officials remain skeptical that negotiations will succeed without increased pressure on the Kremlin.
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Anna Belokur,
