Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the idea of European leaders acting as mediators in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with Ukraine. Instead, he claims to have reached a preliminary peace agreement with former U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in Alaska.
Speaking to foreign journalists in St. Petersburg on June 4, Putin stated that the European Union cannot serve as a neutral mediator while actively supporting Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. He emphasized,
“How can the EU or individual EU countries be mediators when they are directly assisting the country we are in armed conflict with? Mediation implies neutrality,”
he said.
According to Bloomberg, representatives from Germany, France, and the United Kingdom have been discussing potential negotiations involving both Russia and Ukraine. Sources familiar with the discussions, who requested anonymity, indicated that this issue was also addressed with Ukrainian officials.
Putin reiterated his assertion that he had negotiated a compromise peace agreement with Trump during a summit in Anchorage in August 2025. He suggested that EU nations could contribute to ending the war by persuading the Ukrainian government to agree to compromises rather than supplying arms.
Russia demands that Kyiv cede the entire Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, including territories that Russian forces have not captured since 2014. Ukraine has rejected this demand, proposing instead to halt the conflict along the existing front lines.
Negotiations mediated by the U.S. have stalled, with Trump shifting focus to the conflict with Iran. Bloomberg reports that amid rising casualties among Russian troops, the three European nations see a potential opportunity to persuade Putin to engage in talks.
On the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published an open letter to Putin, urging a personal meeting. Zelensky stated that both Europe and the U.S. should be part of the process to conclude the war, believing this could lead to a new security architecture for the region.
Putin expressed a need to know who could represent Europe in the negotiations, mentioning former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a possible candidate. He noted that Schröder has faced criticism for his closeness to Putin but described him as one of the best German statesmen with his own position and the courage to defend it.
The last trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. took place in Geneva on February 17-18. Discussions focused on practical issues and mechanisms for possible solutions.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff reported “significant progress” following the first day of talks in Geneva, stating that both sides agreed to provide updated information to their leaders and continue working towards a peace agreement.
President Zelensky noted that during these discussions, the parties achieved “constructiveness” regarding ceasefire monitoring, with the U.S. committed to participating in this effort. However, future trilateral meetings between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. do not yet have confirmed dates or locations.
Putin has firmly rejected European mediation in Ukraine peace talks, insisting on a prior agreement with Trump. As negotiations stall, Zelensky calls for direct dialogue and international involvement.