Russia indicates it’s open to Ukraine joining EU as part of peace deal to end war, US officials say

Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine’s EU Membership in Peace Negotiations

Russia has indicated willingness to accept Ukraine’s membership in the European Union as part of potential peace negotiations to end the war, U.S. officials revealed Monday following high-level diplomatic meetings in Berlin.

The concession would mark a significant shift in Moscow’s position, though Russian officials have previously suggested they do not fundamentally object to Ukraine joining the EU. The development emerged after U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alongside British, French, and German officials over two days of intensive talks.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, U.S. officials disclosed that Washington has agreed to provide unspecified security guarantees to Kyiv as part of a potential deal. However, they emphasized such offers would not remain available “forever,” suggesting a narrowing window for agreement.

Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, claimed “real progress” during the Berlin talks, which included sessions with Trump’s special envoy Witkoff and the former president’s son-in-law Kushner. Sunday’s discussions stretched for five hours, followed by a 90-minute session on Monday.

Despite the positive diplomatic language, substantial obstacles remain. Control of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, largely occupied by Russian forces, represents a major sticking point. The Kremlin has insisted that Ukraine withdraw from territories it still controls in Donetsk as a key condition for peace.

Zelenskyy has signaled readiness to abandon Ukraine’s NATO membership ambitions if Western nations provide robust security guarantees comparable to those enjoyed by NATO members. However, Ukraine continues to resist U.S. pressure to cede territory to Russia, maintaining that NATO membership would represent the most reliable protection against future Russian aggression.

“The issue of security in particular will ultimately determine whether this war actually comes to a standstill and whether it flares up again,” said Stefan Kornelius, spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently cited Ukraine’s NATO aspirations as a primary justification for launching the full-scale invasion in February 2022. The Kremlin maintains that Ukraine must formally renounce its bid for alliance membership in any peace settlement.

For his part, Zelenskyy has emphasized that Western security guarantees must be legally binding and receive explicit support from the U.S. Congress to be viable alternatives to NATO protection.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Russia expected updates on the Berlin talks from U.S. officials. When asked about a potential timeline for peace, Peskov characterized predicting a timeframe as a “thankless task,” but added that Putin remains “open to peace, to serious peace and serious decisions.” However, he warned that the Russian leader would reject any “tricks aimed at stalling for time.”

As diplomatic efforts continue, the conflict rages on. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 153 drones of various types overnight Sunday into Monday, with Ukrainian defenses neutralizing 133. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have destroyed 130 Ukrainian drones during the same period, including 18 over Moscow itself, temporarily disrupting operations at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports.

In a parallel development, the new head of Britain’s MI6 intelligence service, Blaise Metreweli, was scheduled to warn Monday that Putin’s determination to “export chaos” is fundamentally altering conflict dynamics and creating new security challenges. In her first public address as MI6 chief, Metreweli was expected to characterize Russia as “aggressive” and “expansionist,” representing an increasingly unpredictable threat to Western interests.

The Berlin negotiations occur against the backdrop of mounting U.S. pressure on Ukraine to consider compromise solutions, even as Russia maintains its territorial demands and continues military operations in eastern Ukraine. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, joined the talks later Monday, underscoring the continental dimension of efforts to resolve a conflict now approaching its third year.