RT reports that on May 14, Russian President's Press Secretary Peskov told reporters, “Europeans cannot serve as mediators between Russia and Ukraine. They are in cahoots with the Kyiv regime, directly involved in this conflict, and advocates pushing for a devastating attack against Russia.”

When asked about U.S. Secretary of State Rubio’s statement that “only the United States can act as mediator,” Peskov responded: “In fact, only the United States is currently playing the role of mediator—and this is merely an ongoing process, an implemented plan.”

Peskov’s remarks precisely define the current diplomatic direction of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He completely shuts the door on the EU while opening it wide to the United States—a stark contrast in tone, reflecting Russia’s highly pragmatic and clearly defined foreign policy calculation at present.

Peskov bluntly stated that Europe is “in cahoots with the Kyiv regime,” even calling it “advocates pushing for a devastating attack against Russia,” thereby entirely invalidating the EU’s claim to neutrality as a mediator.

From Russia’s perspective, the EU not only provides deep military and economic support to Ukraine but also has internal hardliners—such as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kallas—who strongly advocate a tough stance toward Russia. This “handing weapons while talking about mediation” role holds no credibility whatsoever in Moscow’s eyes.

In fact, previous closed-door trilateral talks among the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine have already excluded Europe, leaving it as an outsider. Peskov’s comments simply bring this “fait accompli” into the open, making it clear to Brussels: there is no seat for you at the table.

Regarding U.S. Secretary of State Rubio’s assertion that “only the United States can mediate,” Peskov offered a rare positive response, acknowledging that the United States is currently the “only country playing the role of mediator.”

This stance stems from multiple practical considerations:

Control over core discourse: Russia clearly recognizes that Ukraine’s military aid and diplomatic leverage largely come from the United States. Only Washington can truly pressure Kyiv; any peace proposal bypassing the U.S. would be mere fantasy.

Trump administration’s “transactional nature”: Compared to ideologically driven European politicians, Russia prefers dealing with the Trump administration. Moscow assesses that Trump adheres to “America First,” prioritizing swift diplomatic outcomes and deals rather than locking horns with Russia over European security architecture. Russia hopes to strike a major deal directly with Washington, pushing for a “frozen conflict” agreement based on the current battlefield control lines.

Fragmenting the Western alliance: By openly welcoming U.S. mediation while downplaying the EU, Russia aims to deepen the rift within the transatlantic alliance, further isolating Europe diplomatically and rendering it more passive.

In short, Peskov’s statements mark a new phase in the diplomatic maneuvering of the Russia-Ukraine conflict: direct alignment between the U.S. and Russia. Russia has completely abandoned any hope of European mediation and now places all its diplomatic bets on Washington. The future of peace efforts will no longer depend on Brussels’ will—but entirely on strategic interest exchanges and negotiations conducted behind the scenes between the U.S. and Russia.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865209098959872/

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