President Volodymyr Zelensky has long advocated for European participation in peace negotiations, citing Ukraine’s strategic goal of joining the European Union as a key rationale.
On Thursday, a U.S. representative said the United States has been working very closely with European allies over recent months, calling that collaboration crucial.
He further emphasized to President Putin the necessity of having European delegates present at the negotiating table.
“He’s willing to give it a try,” the official added.
Ukraine and European nations have long expressed concern over the current U.S. administration’s commitment to European security and its perceived softening toward the Kremlin.
Moscow has dismissed European involvement, while European leaders maintain that their role is essential to shaping post‑war dynamics across the continent.
Earlier on Thursday, European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas, the EU’s chief diplomat, told the BBC World Service that the inclusion of a European representative demonstrates that the Kremlin now recognises Europe as a major player.
Kallas also voiced skepticism about any genuine momentum from Russia toward a peace agreement.
Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin told a gathering of European leaders in Dublin on Thursday that he believes the region’s security landscape has been ‘fundamentally reshaped’ by Russia’s war.
He told reporters that ‘many EU member states feel an existential threat because of the war in Ukraine and the potential for further aggression across the continent if Kyiv were to fall.’
Roughly one‑fifth of Ukrainian territory remains under Russian control, with cross‑border incursions becoming more frequent.
Tensions between the United States and Ukraine were evident on Thursday ahead of a meeting between Witkoff, Kushner and President Zelensky.
Earlier, the Ukrainian president reported that the military is encountering increased ‘systematic’ restrictions on Starlink’s military‑grade satellite service, Starshield, hampering Kyiv’s ability to intercept Russian jet‑powered drones.
The system, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has been critical to government and military communications in Ukraine and now increasingly supports frontline connectivity.
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