Kremlin Says It Wants Only Moscow-Friendly European Politicians at Ukraine Talks
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow is ready to admit European representatives to talks on the war in Ukraine, but only those seeking to keep ties with Russia. European leaders are meanwhile looking for a candidate to negotiate with Vladimir Putin.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on 25 October 2026 that Moscow is prepared to let European representatives take part in talks on the war in Ukraine, but would like to see at the table only politicians who want to preserve relations with Russia. The condition limits Europe's efforts to join the peace process.
What Zakharova said
According to her, the doors are always open to Europeans: they can come at any time, attend events and hold talks, either with an official mandate or on their own initiative. Russia is ready to maintain contacts with those who favour dialogue and keeping relations intact. She did not specify which European Union member states' politicians the Kremlin would like to see.
Zakharova also said that before claiming a place in peace talks, European politicians should change how they communicate with Moscow. She suggested the current approach is unacceptable to Russia, and that contacts could be built once Europeans start using the microphone for its intended purpose rather than misusing their vocal apparatus.
European positions
Among European politicians who keep up dialogue with Russia is Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose government favours maintaining ties with Moscow, especially in energy. Lawmakers from Germany's far-right party Alternative for Germany have also travelled to Moscow.
European leaders, for their part, are looking for someone who could negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war. Names mentioned include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Czech President Petr Pavel, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
Pavel, however, has noted that Putin currently does not see the European Union as an authoritative force and has fully cut off dialogue with European leaders. This complicates efforts to find a joint representative who could negotiate directly with Moscow on ending the war.
The report is based on a publication by Lrytas.lt.
