EU seeks seat at Ukraine-Russia peace talks to shape US strategy

The European Union is pushing for a seat at upcoming Ukraine-Russia peace talks, seeking to expand the current trilateral format with the US into a multilateral negotiation including European representatives. Brussels aims to influence Washington's approach, which has recently shifted in Moscow's favor. The US plans to resume technical-level trilateral talks in November after its midterm elections, following a stall caused by its focus on the war with Iran. EU Commission deputy chief spokesperson Arianna Podestà confirmed expectations of EU presence, with joint representation from the Commission and Council, though she declined to specify whether direct contact with Russian officials would occur. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not rule out European participation but stressed the next round in Abu Dhabi remains trilateral. European concerns stem from President Trump's diesel supply deal with Putin and eased sanctions on Russia, which have alarmed EU capitals. Ukraine welcomes any format, while Moscow signals conditional readiness. Finnish President Alexander Stubb has emerged as a potential intermediary, though Russia stipulated he must not "parrot" the European position, a condition unlikely to satisfy the staunch Ukraine supporter.