In a significant diplomatic development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed a US commitment to bring European Union delegates into the next round of peace negotiations with Russia. The pledge came during a meeting in Dublin on Thursday evening with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who earlier held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Shuttle Diplomacy
The envoys' whirlwind day of shuttle diplomacy underscores the intensifying efforts to find a negotiated end to the war, now in its third year. Kushner and Witkoff met Zelensky just hours after sitting down with Putin, who reportedly reiterated that Russia's territorial demands remain unchanged.
The meetings follow unsuccessful talks in Abu Dhabi last week, but Thursday also saw a breakthrough on the humanitarian front: Russia and Ukraine agreed to their largest prisoner exchange since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Kushner said the swap would return "thousands of people to their families," though specifics on numbers and timing were not disclosed.
Europe's Voice at the Table
Zelensky has long advocated for European involvement in the peace process, arguing that the EU must have a say in negotiations that will shape the continent's future security architecture. "Bringing them into the talks would ensure the EU has a voice," he said.
Kushner emphasized that the US has been coordinating closely with European allies. "We've been working very, very closely over the past several months with Europeans, and I think that that's been very important," he told reporters. He added that he had stressed to Putin the importance of having European delegates at the table, and that the Russian leader was "willing to give it a try."
European Leaders Voice Concerns
The development comes amid growing anxiety among European leaders about security. Earlier on Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told the BBC that the inclusion of a European delegate showed the Kremlin "now realised that Europe is a big player." However, she expressed skepticism about Russia's willingness to genuinely pursue peace.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, speaking to European leaders gathered in Dublin, said the region's security has been "fundamentally reshaped" by the war. "Many member states feel an existential threat because of what has happened in Ukraine and the potential, if Ukraine was to fall, for further aggression on the European continent," he warned.
Approximately one-fifth of Ukraine remains under Russian control, and cross-border incursions are increasingly frequent, heightening tensions.
Starlink Concerns
Meanwhile, tensions between the US and Ukraine surfaced earlier on Thursday when Zelensky said that Ukraine's military was facing more "systematic" restrictions to Starlink's military-grade satellite service, Starshield. He noted that this was hampering Kyiv's ability to intercept Russian jet-powered drones.
The technology, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, has been crucial for government and military communications in Ukraine, and increasingly aids frontline coordination.
As the diplomatic efforts intensify, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether these talks can pave the way for a sustainable peace.
