EU Initiates Confidential Talks with Kremlin Amid Ukraine War

The European Union has begun confidential discussions with Russian authorities in an effort to explore pathways to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to sources familiar with the matter. The initiative was led by European Council President Antonio Costa, who established contact with senior Russian officials close to President Vladimir Putin, Bloomberg reported, citing informed sources. One anonymous source revealed that two phone calls took place between a top adviser to Costa and a high-ranking Russian official linked to Putin. Both the EU press secretary and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the developments.

The move comes amid statements from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that after reaching a deal with Iran, he would focus on the war in Ukraine. Costa had previously stated in May that Europe would need to engage in talks with Moscow "at the right moment" to address shared security concerns, indicating that there is potential for dialogue. On the Russian side, President Putin had identified former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, a longtime personal acquaintance widely seen as having close ties to the Kremlin, as a potential EU negotiator.

In parallel, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom have been coordinating with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a separate strategy to engage Russia in peace negotiations. EU officials believe that the Kremlin may be more open to diplomatic contacts due to a stalemate on the battlefield, intensified Ukrainian strikes inside Russian territory, and rising economic costs of the war. High-ranking European officials are seeking to synchronize their actions as the conflict enters a new phase and prepare for increased engagement with Moscow in the future.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has emphasized that the bloc intends to present its own demands to Russia in any future peace talks, including the withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgia and Moldova.