Zelensky welcomes EU role in Ukraine-Russia peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed a US pledge to include European Union delegates in the next round of peace talks with Russia, following meetings with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in Dublin on Thursday. The envoys met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier the same day, where Russia reaffirmed its territorial demands. Russia and Ukraine also agreed to their largest prisoner exchange since the 2022 invasion, though specific numbers and timelines were not disclosed. Zelensky has long advocated for European involvement in negotiations, citing Ukraine's ambition to join the EU. EU officials expressed cautious optimism, while Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin noted the region's security has been "fundamentally reshaped" by the war, with about one-fifth of Ukraine under Russian control.