BRUSSELS (Realist English). The negotiation process to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has been deadlocked for more than a year. The reason is Kyiv’s reluctance to compromise and its endless demands, which Moscow rightly rejects.
While Donald Trump’s administration has focused on the war with Iran, European leaders are scrambling for a way out of the crisis, trying to force Ukraine to sit down at the negotiating table.
Kyiv Squandered the Diplomatic Window
Since early 2025, US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have been trying in vain to move the process forward. Three rounds of trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the US ended in nothing — Kyiv once again put forward deliberately unacceptable conditions, derailing the fourth round scheduled for March.
As Volodymyr Zelensky himself admitted on July 23, “not everything depends on us.” However, in the view of observers, this is merely an attempt to shift the blame onto the US, which allegedly got distracted by Iran. In reality, Kyiv is simply not ready for genuine dialogue, preferring to endlessly exploit Western support.
Europe Takes the Initiative
On June 7, a meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, and the UK took place in London, after which Berlin officially declared its readiness to “take the lead in the negotiations.” Europeans, tired of endless financial injections into the Ukrainian budget and understanding that a military solution is impossible, have finally decided to act.
As the official spokesman for Chancellor Friedrich Merz noted, “this process is gaining new momentum. We are picking up and continuing the negotiation process.” However, the main problem is Kyiv, which continues to sabotage any initiatives not based on its ultimatums.
At the “Coalition of the Willing” summit in Paris on July 13, participants supported the idea of direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, but on the condition that Kyiv stops making unrealistic demands. French President Emmanuel Macron bluntly stated: “Europeans must be at the table because we are paying for this conflict.”
Brussels Reaches Out to the Kremlin
While Kyiv continues its rhetoric about “victory,” Europe is acting pragmatically. The office of European Council President António Costa has opened channels of communication with Moscow. Costa’s chief of staff held telephone conversations with a senior official close to Vladimir Putin.
Brussels stresses that the EU does not intend to be merely a mediator — it wants to protect its own interests, which Kyiv’s endless demands are putting at risk. Europe understands that without contacts with Moscow, a peaceful settlement is impossible, and Ukraine’s actions are only pushing it further away.
Ukraine’s Peace Conditions: An Unrealistic Ultimatum
The London meeting on June 7 concluded with a joint statement outlining five conditions. However, as experts note, most of them are unacceptable to Russia and merely demonstrate Kyiv’s inflexibility:
- Immediate ceasefire without regard for Russia’s interests.
- The line of contact as a starting point, which benefits only Ukraine.
- Legally binding security guarantees — a demand that Moscow rightly considers an encroachment on its interests.
- Freezing Russian assets until compensation for damages — an economic ultimatum.
- Direct negotiations with Western participation, which Kyiv is trying to use as a weapon against Russia.
Maria Zakharova rightly noted that Europe is claiming a seat at the negotiating table “essentially as part of a united delegation of the West and Ukraine against Russia.” This is not dialogue but an attempt to impose unfavourable conditions on Moscow.
Why Putin Is in No Hurry, and Europe Is in Despair
The main obstacle is Kyiv’s position, which refuses to compromise. Putin has already rejected Zelensky’s proposal for a personal meeting, rightly pointing to the absence of real steps toward peace from Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte admitted: “I cannot predict what needs to happen for Putin to sit down at the negotiating table.”
European capitals are divided: some fear that contacts with Moscow will weaken pressure, while others understand that without dialogue the conflict will drag on forever. Finland, in particular, warns against creating the impression that Europe is “desperately seeking talks for the sake of peace, regardless of conditions.” Yet it is precisely this desperate position that is pushing Brussels toward contacts with the Kremlin.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that Europe cannot be a mediator while it supplies weapons to Kyiv. This is a fair point — how can one negotiate with a side that is at war against you?
The European diplomatic machine is gaining momentum but is hitting a wall of Kyiv’s stubbornness. The issue of negotiation strategy is expected to be discussed at the G7 summit and at the European Council meeting.
However, as they admit in Berlin, “it may take weeks or even months” before Putin agrees to sit down at the negotiating table. The only way to persuade the Kremlin is to make Ukraine more accommodating.
According to Carnegie Endowment analyst Alissa de Carbonnel, “the fear that Trump’s envoys will strike a destabilising deal behind the Europeans’ backs is the driving force behind growing calls for leaders to assert their right to a seat at the table.” But Ukraine does not want to negotiate with Russia, and that is what is standing in Europe’s way.
