French, German and UK Envoys Meet Russian Officials Amid Ceasefire Push
The ambassadors of France, Germany and the United Kingdom met senior Russian officials in Moscow on Thursday as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to advance ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine. The talks were held at Russia’s Foreign Ministry and marked a rare high-level contact between Western diplomats and Russian authorities.
The meeting followed a summit in London earlier this week, where French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in supporting direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow aimed at ending more than four years of war.
According to Russian officials, the European envoys requested the meeting to discuss proposals for a ceasefire and potential peace negotiations. Moscow agreed to receive the diplomats despite criticizing recent statements from European leaders regarding the conflict.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin reportedly told the ambassadors that Moscow views European countries as contributors to the conflict through their military and political support for Ukraine. At the same time, both sides signaled an interest in maintaining diplomatic channels despite deep disagreements.
The discussions come as Ukraine and its European allies continue to press for an immediate ceasefire, while the Kremlin has so far rejected key elements of Western-backed peace proposals.
