Putin agrees to European participation in next round of Ukraine peace talks

Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaks in Moscow on Thursday, in a pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik. Putin said during a meeting with U.S. envoys the same day that Moscow had always been open to talking to the EU about Ukraine, although he signaled serious outstanding differences. | POOL / VIA AFP-JIJI

Nov 13, 2026

MOSCOW/DUBLIN – Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Thursday that European representatives could join the next round of Ukraine peace talks, a U.S. envoy said, though the Russian leader said Washington must work with its European allies to understand if they want peace or war in Ukraine.

The move to give Europe a seat at the negotiating table at the next round of talks, announced by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, could mark a breakthrough. But Putin’s comments underlined how difficult the negotiations could become, given sharp differences between Moscow and European capitals over the way the war should end.

“The Europeans will join at the next meeting, which we consider to be a very important moment because they are our partners and it’s important to us that they take part,” Witkoff told Russian state TV after meeting Putin in the Kremlin.

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