Russia Rejects French Proposal for Europeans in Ukraine Talks

Russia has rejected a French proposal to include European representatives in ongoing peace negotiations over the Ukraine conflict, according to European diplomats involved in the discussions. The rebuff came during a February visit to Moscow by two advisers to French President Emmanuel Macron, national security expert Emmanuel Bonne and diplomatic adviser Bertrand Buchwalter, who urged Russian officials to expand the talks beyond the current U.S.-mediated format.

The French delegation met with Yury Ushakov, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, to advocate for a greater role for Ukraine's European allies at the negotiating table. Ushakov's response was a clear denial, with one European diplomat describing it as a blunt "Sorry, actually, no we don't." The Kremlin confirmed the visit, and spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the French representatives brought no constructive proposals. "When the representative of France arrived, he did not show any positive signals. And therefore there was really nothing positive for him to hear," Peskov said. He accused European nations of encouraging Ukraine to prolong the fighting, calling it a strategic error that harms...