Key facts
- European leaders are ready to take the lead in peace talks with Russia regarding the Ukraine war.
- Negotiations will occur in close coordination with the U.S.
- A joint statement from European leaders and Ukraine outlined five conditions for peace.
- These conditions include an immediate ceasefire, security guarantees for Ukraine, and compensation for damages.
- Russian assets are to remain frozen until hostilities cease and compensation is made.
European leaders are preparing to assume the leading role in negotiations to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced. The initiative, developed in close coordination with the U.S., aims to build on previous efforts that yielded limited results under American leadership.
Following a meeting in London with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and counterparts from France and the U.K., European leaders issued a joint statement calling for direct dialogue with Russia. The statement outlined five conditions for peace, including an immediate and complete ceasefire, legally binding security guarantees for Ukraine, and compensation for war damages. Russian assets are to remain frozen until the Kremlin ceases its aggression.
Further discussions on the European approach to potential peace talks are scheduled for an upcoming G7 meeting and a European Council summit. It remains uncertain whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will engage with European leaders, who have long sought a greater role in resolving the conflict. Previous suggestions by Putin, such as involving former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, were dismissed by European capitals.