The European Union is intensifying its push for a formal seat at the negotiating table in efforts to end Russia's war on Ukraine, hoping to convert the current trilateral format into a broader multilateral process that includes European voices. The move comes as Washington's recent diplomatic overtures toward Moscow have unsettled European capitals.
The United States has indicated it wants to resume technical-level talks among Ukraine, Russia, and itself in November, after its midterm elections. Kyiv has said it welcomes any format at any time, while Moscow has expressed conditional readiness. The peace process stalled in February when the US launched its military campaign against Iran, diverting diplomatic attention away from Europe.
Brussels sees the potential resumption as a chance to shift from a trilateral to a multilateral framework, bringing European representatives to the table and giving the EU an opportunity to influence American thinking, which has recently moved sharply in Russia's favor. That shift has triggered alarm across the continent, particularly after President Donald Trump struck a diesel supply deal with Vladimir Putin and eased long-standing sanctions on Russia—a development that has already seen the first Russian diesel cargo head to US shores.
Europeans, however, have a track record of being blindsided, dismissed, or ignored by their American counterparts, so there is no guarantee of success. The EU's institutional complexity also raises questions about who would represent the bloc.
“Now, there is an expectation that there will be a multilateral-level discussion with representatives at senior official level, and the EU will be present at these talks,” said Arianna Podestà, deputy chief spokesperson for the European Commission, on Friday. “We have always worked to have Ukraine in a position of strength, and we have always worked for a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. We’re doing so on every occasion.”
Podestà said the EU should be represented jointly by the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, and the European Council, which represents member states. Asked whether this could involve European officials meeting Russian representatives face to face, she left the door open. “At this stage, I wouldn’t have further details to provide. The expectation is that there would be a joint Commission-Council representation that would attend the meetings,” she said. “Beyond that, I don’t have other elements to share.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not immediately reject European participation, as Moscow has done in the past, but stressed that the next round of talks under preparation would remain trilateral. “Nothing can be ruled out a priori,” Peskov said. “But these talks we are discussing, which are scheduled for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi, will take place in a trilateral format.”
A seat for two?
It remains unclear whether both EU institutions will have a place at the table. The last rounds of talks involving Ukraine, Europe, and the US—first in Miami and later in Oslo—included only Bjoern Seibert, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s powerful chief of cabinet. Pedro Lourtie, chief of cabinet to European Council President António Costa, was not invited.
National security advisers from Germany, France, and the UK—the so-called E3—and NATO attended the Miami talks. In Oslo, Italy took France's place. Discussions focused on security guarantees for Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and post-war recovery. After the Oslo talks, US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg for nearly three hours. The Kremlin later dismissed Witkoff’s proposals as offering “little of real value” towards ending the war, while signalling its readiness to resume technical-level talks.
EU officials and diplomats say Moscow has yet to show signs of abandoning its maximalist demands or engaging meaningfully in the peace process. But with the stakes so high, they argue, Europe cannot afford to sit on the sidelines. The recent Russian strikes that killed at least nine across Ukraine in 24 hours underscore the urgency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Trump has repeatedly criticised, has urged European leaders to establish their own diplomatic channel with Moscow. Earlier this year, Costa quietly opened a line of communication with Russia, but the initiative failed to yield results and was put on hold. The idea of appointing a special envoy was discussed again by EU leaders at last week's summit. No consensus candidate emerged, but Finnish President Alexander Stubb has returned to the conversation after co-hosting the latest round of talks in Oslo.
The EU's push for a seat comes as the bloc grapples with internal divisions over how to handle the war and its financial implications. The collision between peace talks and the EU budget has widened the funding gap for Ukraine, adding another layer of complexity. Meanwhile, a reset in EU-Hungary relations signals a new chapter amid the scramble for peace, though Budapest's stance on Russia remains a point of contention.
For now, the EU's ambition to shape the peace process faces an uphill battle. Washington's recent moves have reinforced European fears that the US may prioritise its own interests over transatlantic solidarity. As one senior EU diplomat put it, “We cannot be spectators in a war on our own continent. If we are not at the table, we will be on the menu.”
