Moscow says it will not dictate EU delegation's participation in Ukraine talks

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Saturday that Russia had no intention of dictating who should represent the EU at the negotiating table, despite previously insisting that EU representatives had "no business" there. "We cannot and do not want to set conditions for their negotiating team. This is a completely wrong way to put it," Peskov told local media, adding that Moscow should first speak with European representatives to understand "to what extent their position could potentially contribute to the peace process".

Shift in Kremlin rhetoric

The latest statement marks a clear shift in Russia's tone towards Brussels in recent months. Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2024, has previously accused Europe of "prolonging the war" and "multiplying the suffering of ordinary people" by supporting Kyiv.

On Tuesday, negotiators from the United States, Ukraine and Russia held trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, which European representatives were excluded from. A few days later on Thursday, US envoy Jared Kushner announced that Russia had agreed to expand the next round of talks to include European participation.

EU leaders agreed Friday that Europe would be represented by Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the bloc's institutions.