EU quietly reaches out to Moscow to avoid exclusion from Ukraine peace talks

Brussels,UPDATED: Jun 18, 2026 18:56 IST

The European Union has made a tentative approach to Moscow to reopen communication channels, as it seeks to ensure it is not left out of any future talks on ending the war in Ukraine, officials said on Thursday.

The move comes as the EU continues to back Kyiv and as conflict on the ground continues. On Thursday, Russian officials said Ukraine carried out one of its biggest drone attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion, hitting a major Moscow oil refinery for the second time in a week and disrupting commercial flights at Moscow airports.

EU officials said the outreach to Russia has been limited and has not moved into detailed discussions. The effort comes at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin has tried to sideline both Europe and Kyiv and deal with Washington over Ukraine's future.

"In the past few weeks, brief contacts were made at diplomatic level to open communication channels but nothing was discussed on substance," an EU official with knowledge of the approach said on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive move. A second official, also speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media on the matter, confirmed the outreach to Russia is taking place but declined to comment further.

"In any future scenario, the EU has specific interests that will need to be defended, therefore it is important to have established diplomatic channels with Russia. The EU is not a mediator. It supports Ukraine in its efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace," the first official added.

The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Putin has repeatedly said Europe cannot play a mediation role in settling the conflict, but he has not ruled out talks with the EU. "We have never refused contacts with representatives of the European Union in any format," he said earlier this month. "We are not rejecting contacts. If they want to talk, they know how to reach us. They can pick up the phone and call. If they want to come, they are welcome to do so. It is not Russia that is refusing engagement."

According to the officials, European Council President Antonio Costa "has been coordinating closely with European leaders on possible engagement with Russia and the issues to be discussed when the right moment comes". The development came as EU leaders headed to Brussels for their summer summit, where Ukraine is expected to be high on the agenda. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to address the 27 leaders, who are seeking closer ties with Kyiv.

On Monday, Ukraine officially opened negotiations to join the EU, beginning a process that will require years of political reforms even as it continues to fight the Russian invasion. The latest developments also follow this week's meeting of the Group of Seven nations in Evian-Les-Bains, where European leaders got Donald Trump to join them in offering "unwavering support for Ukraine". Zelenskyy said Ukraine also secured key pledges of further support from world leaders at the summit, including the United States.

Overall, the EU's cautious outreach to Moscow comes alongside renewed support for Kyiv, amid continued fighting, Ukraine's push for closer ties with Europe and wider diplomatic efforts involving Western leaders.

With PTI Inputs

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