Europe Should Be Included in Ukraine Peace Discussions, Kremlin Aide Says

By Reuters Oct. 25, 2026 "We need to talk to the whole of Europe, which fully supports Kyiv," Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Sunday Peter Kovalev/TASS Europe should be included in discussions on a peace settlement in Ukraine because its position could be crucial, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Sunday. The U.S. has been unable to put pressure on Kyiv to agree to a peace deal, Ushakov said in an interview with state television correspondent Pavel Zarubin. “Before, it seemed after Anchorage, that the U.S. administration might be able to dictate something and force Kyiv to comply. But so far, this hasn't really worked out,” Ushakov said, referring to a 2025 meeting in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “That's because it's not enough to talk only to Kyiv; we need to talk to the whole of Europe, which fully supports Kyiv.” EU HAS MADE CAUTIOUS APPROACHES After initially leaving it to Trump to try to broker an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, the EU has made cautious approaches to Russia. The leaders of Britain, Germany and France have said they supported a proposal for talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin to try to secure a ceasefire, and that Europe would play a role. Russia, meanwhile, has said it would be open to dialogue but not ultimatums. On Sunday, Ushakov said that Russia was ready to resume three-way peace talks with Ukraine and the U.S. after Russia's National Unity Day on Nov. 4, echoing Kremlin comments this week on Putin's willingness to resume U.S.-mediated talks with Ukraine as soon as next month. Zelensky said on Friday that peace negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. had agreed to meet at a technical level in the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, adding that he hoped a meeting of their leaders would follow. Ushakov also commented on a potential meeting between Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, saying that preparations had already started. The proposed meeting is set to be held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China over Nov. 18-19. A separate meeting between Putin and Trump in Shenzhen had not been agreed upon, Ushakov said. Read more about: Kremlin , Peace Talks , Ukraine war , Europe Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more EU Has Made Diplomatic 'Contacts' With Kremlin, Official Says Discussions on Europe re-engaging with Moscow have become louder amid deadlocked U.S. efforts to halt the war in Ukraine while Trump's attention has been... 2 Min read Up to Each European Country to Decide on Re-Engaging With Russia, Rutte Says European leaders have debated whether to restore dialogue with Russia in recent months amid U.S.-led peace talks on the war in Ukraine. 2 Min read Kremlin Says Prisoner Deal ‘Completely Different’ From Ukraine "If we talk about Ukraine and more complex international problems, there are completely different principles," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. 1 Min read Tribunals to Prosecute Russia for Ukraine War Would Lack 'Legitimacy,' Kremlin Says Any tribunal established to prosecute alleged Russian war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine would lack “legitimacy” and would not be recognized...