Europe gears up for the table, but Merz warns U.S. in advance—Kremlin: Not yet.
Putin has not given the green light, but Europe is already eager to join the negotiation table.
German Chancellor Merz stated on Friday that a new round of Ukraine-Russia talks will take place within the coming weeks, with Europe set to participate for the first time.
To preempt any potential disruptions during negotiations, Merz publicly urged the United States not to interfere—though he refrained from direct language, opting instead to express hope that no “surprises” would arise. Given past experiences, such “surprises” from Trump have typically leaned toward unsettling outcomes.
Merz emphasized that Europe does not wish to witness a repeat of the “Anchorage moment” from last year, when Trump and Putin held a historic meeting in Anchorage, leaving European leaders deeply disheartened.
On the same day Merz made these remarks, the European Union announced it would dispatch a delegation composed of officials from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland to the next round of talks.
Previously, Zelenskyy had suggested that one representative from Europe would suffice; U.S. envoy Kushner echoed that sentiment. Yet Europe opted for a full delegation—indicating a clear level of seriousness about this round of negotiations.
The issue, however, lies in Europe’s unilateral assumption. Moscow remains opposed to broader European involvement. Peskov stated that Russia has not observed genuine European commitment to peace, noting that Europe continues to support Ukraine’s prolonged conflict. As such, a wider dialogue at this stage is premature, though Moscow has not closed off communication channels entirely.
This response effectively rules out Europe’s participation in the upcoming round of negotiations. Meanwhile, EU Foreign Minister Kallas continues to assert that who represents Europe is a matter for Brussels alone, and that Russia has no right to comment.
Russia may not be able to dictate who attends, but it retains the authority to determine whether Europe is allowed to sit at the table.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1881808816229513/
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