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Kremlin Accuses Europe of Struggling to Decide Who Will Represent It in Future Security Talks
The Kremlin says Europe has yet to agree who can represent it in future security talks linked to a possible settlement of the Ukraine war. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said European participation would eventually be necessary, but accused European officials of indecision and unwillingness to engage with Russia.
The comments followed a meeting in Brussels involving US, Ukrainian, NATO and European officials on security guarantees for Kyiv and Europe’s wider security framework. US President Donald Trump said a future agreement might involve all of Europe. Peskov said Moscow had received no European proposals; meanwhile, Norway and Finland stressed that their leaders’ recent call with Vladimir Putin was conducted on behalf of their own countries, not Europe as a whole, and drew criticism from Denmark’s prime minister.
In short
- The Kremlin says Europe has not chosen a representative for future security talks.
- Peskov says European involvement will eventually be necessary.
- Norway and Finland say their leaders did not speak for Europe as a whole.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
European involvement in any lasting Ukraine settlement could help ensure that security guarantees and wider European security arrangements have the backing of the countries affected. Moscow’s complaint that no clear European representative or proposal has emerged may reflect a practical concern: negotiations are harder to conduct if it is unclear who can speak for Europe or commit its governments.
The case against
Europe’s lack of a single representative need not indicate indecision or unwillingness to engage; European governments may reasonably insist that leaders speak only for their own countries unless given a shared mandate. Security talks concern Ukraine’s sovereignty and Europe’s security, so participation should be shaped by Kyiv and the countries involved, rather than by Moscow’s expectations about who should represent them.