Zelenskyy named potential European representatives for the negotiations with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the interests of the European continent in the upcoming peace talks aimed at ending the Russian-Ukrainian war could be represented by the E3 diplomatic format, which includes the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Among other credible candidates for the role of mediators are the Nordic countries or Turkey.
The head of state spoke about this in an extensive interview for the authoritative American program Face the Nation on CBS News.
According to the Ukrainian leader’s assessment, starting in December 2025, Russian occupation forces have definitively lost the strategic initiative on the battlefield. Having assessed the actual situation on the front lines, Zelenskyy informed U.S. leadership as early as January 2026 about the opening of a so-called “window of opportunity” for diplomacy, as the Kremlin’s mobilization and technical resources are being depleted each month, and the monthly expansion of enemy-occupied territories no longer exceeds the scale of the Ukrainian counteroffensive and the liberation of lands by the Defense Forces. The President emphasized the need to find a viable diplomatic path, sit down at the negotiating table, and begin substantive dialogue before the start of next winter. The success of this process, in his view, will directly depend on the level of internal discontent within Russian society itself, as well as on the intensity of economic pressure from the U.S. and the EU.
Commenting on the structure of Europe’s future representation at the negotiating table, Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the experienced European triumvirate of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany as one entirely viable option. An alternative and equally reliable platform could be provided by Northern European partner countries or official Ankara, which has traditionally shown interest in a mediation mission and has already repeatedly proven its effectiveness by helping Ukraine secure the release of servicemen from captivity. At the same time, the head of state concluded that the final composition of the European delegation must be jointly approved by Kyiv and Brussels; however, a critical factor remains the Russian Federation’s actual willingness to engage in constructive dialogue and agree to the presence of representatives from the European community.
Earlier, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev stated that the European Union must take a leading role in negotiations with Russia to end the war against Ukraine.
The European Union is discussing the possible appointment of a special mediator for contacts with Russia, and Angela Merkel is among the leading candidates. Mario Draghi and Alexander Stubb are also being considered, but no final decision has been made yet due to disagreements among diplomats.
It should be noted that Merkel is being considered as a potential mediator in negotiations between the EU and Russia.
Berlin has called theRussian Federation’s proposal regarding Schröder’s mediation a fiction.
