Zelensky backs American plan to include European Union in Russia peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed support for an initiative by American envoys to involve European Union representatives in future peace discussions with Russia.

US representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff travelled to Dublin on Thursday evening to meet with Zelensky. The Irish stop capped a day of diplomatic outreach that also saw the pair hold talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky stated that including European delegates ensures the EU has a voice in shaping discussions, noting that European participation aligns with Ukraine's long-term goal of securing membership in the bloc.

According to Kushner, Washington has spent recent months coordinating closely with European counterparts. He noted that he conveyed the importance of seating European officials at the negotiating table directly to Putin, reporting that the Russian leader agreed to give the arrangement a try. Moscow has previously expressed scepticism regarding European participation in negotiations, even as EU capitals maintain their necessity for any future continental security framework.

Despite the diplomatic activity, Putin reiterated that Moscow's stance on the conflict and its territorial claims remains unaltered. Russian troops continue to occupy approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. High-ranking European officials have voiced ongoing scepticism regarding Moscow's willingness to conclude the conflict, with European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas observing that having an EU delegate present demonstrates the Kremlin recognises Europe's influence.

The Dublin discussions followed an inconclusive round of talks hosted in Abu Dhabi the previous week. However, Thursday did yield an agreement between Kyiv and Moscow on a major prisoner swap, described as the largest since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. Kushner remarked that the arrangement would reunite thousands of individuals with their families, although exact numbers and schedules were not made public.

Broader strategic worries were also voiced during the meetings in Ireland. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin stated that Russia's invasion had fundamentally reshaped security across the region, warning that several EU members view the conflict as an existential challenge. Meanwhile, Zelensky reported that Ukrainian forces are confronting systematic limitations on SpaceX's Starshield military satellite services, which has complicated efforts to counter Russian jet-powered drone strikes.