Russia is prepared to resume dialogue with European governments but will not accept negotiations conducted from a position of strength or accompanied by ultimatums, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on 19 June. Peskov described the European assumption that Moscow must be approached from a posture of weakness as “the biggest mistake” and said such an approach would yield no results. He added that President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly affirmed Russia’s openness to contacts and that Moscow was not the party that severed ties. The spokesman also urged European capitals to acquaint themselves with “the real state of affairs”, including in the Ukraine conflict.

Within the European Union, the question of re-engagement with Moscow has exposed sharp divisions. The office of European Council President António Costa has conducted what EU officials describe as brief, non-substantive diplomatic contacts with the Kremlin in recent weeks, intended to open a communication channel. The initiative drew criticism from several member states, notably Germany and the Baltic countries, who argued that such outreach had not been coordinated and that the priority should remain increasing pressure on Russia. By contrast, leaders from Belgium, Italy, France, Slovenia and Austria expressed support for Costa’s move, with some viewing the Council president as a natural candidate to represent the EU in any future negotiations. The debate also extends to the appropriate format: some capitals favour the E-3 grouping of Germany, France and the United Kingdom, while others insist the EU’s institutional framework should take the lead.

The diplomatic stirrings in Brussels follow a shift in the geopolitical landscape. According to European diplomatic sources, the United States has paused its mediation efforts on Ukraine after launching military operations against Iran, prompting EU governments to consider how to protect their own interests in any eventual settlement. Those interests include the future of sanctions regimes, the handling of frozen Russian assets, and the terms of Ukraine’s EU accession process, all of which require the bloc to have a seat at the table. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also encouraged the EU to expand its diplomatic activity, though officials stress that any European representative would not act as a mediator but as a party defending EU-specific concerns.

No substantive negotiations are under way, and EU leaders acknowledge that Moscow’s current posture does not signal a genuine readiness to negotiate. The Kremlin’s conditional openness coincides with an intensification of Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian infrastructure, which Peskov said would be met with continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities. The EU remains focused on maintaining sanctions and military support for Kyiv while preparing institutionally for a moment when talks might become feasible. The dossier remains in an exploratory phase, with no consensus on a negotiator and no agreed mandate for formal discussions.