On a Thursday evening in Dublin, Ukraine's president sat with two American envoys who carried a long-sought promise: European delegates would join the next round of talks with Russia. It arrived after a week of stalled diplomacy, with Moscow's stance on territory unchanged and the war's shadow stretching over a continent that still feels its own security reshaped by the conflict. A single tangible gain emerged, a large prisoner exchange whose details remain unsettled, reminding that diplomacy in this war often moves in small, fragile steps.
Zelensky Welcomes US Plan to Bring European Delegates into Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks
Russia and Ukraine agreed another prisoner exchange, the largest since the 2022 full-scale invasion; about one-fifth of Ukraine remains under Russian control.
Europe, at the table: a pledge relayed from Putin, not yet confirmed by him
Mark
Why does a seat for European delegates matter so much to Zelensky?
Mimi
He has been asking for it for years. Ukraine wants to join the EU eventually, so he argues Europe should have a voice in deciding the terms.
Luke
Careful, though. The pledge comes from Kushner, relaying what Putin said. Kushner says Putin is willing to give it a try. That's one side's account of another side's position.
Mark
So Russia hasn't confirmed it?
Luke
Not in what we've been given. Moscow has been dismissive of Europe's role before, and the reporting shows no Russian statement agreeing.
Mimi
And Putin also said Russia's position on territory hasn't changed. The format may widen while the substance stays where it was.
Mark
What about the prisoner exchange?
Mimi
It's described as the largest since 2022, and Kushner spoke of thousands of people returning to their families.
Luke
But there's no number and no date. "Thousands" is Kushner's phrasing, not a confirmed count, and "largest yet" can't be checked without figures.
Mark
And the Starshield issue?
Mimi
Zelensky says restrictions are becoming more systematic, and that it's hurting Ukraine's ability to intercept jet-powered drones. It shows how dependent the front line is on technology owned by a private company.
Luke
That's Zelensky's account. The material here doesn't include a response from SpaceX or the US.
The Pulse
- Zelensky welcomes a long-sought pledge that European delegates will sit in on the next round of talks with Russia.
- Putin's stance on territory has not moved, leaving the Abu Dhabi and Moscow meetings with no breakthrough.
- Washington and Kyiv show friction over restricted access to Starshield, with Ukrainian drones harder to intercept.
- A record prisoner exchange is agreed, but its size and timeline remain unannounced and must still be confirmed.
- Whether Europe secures a formal seat at the table is the decisive test of whether this pledge becomes real.
On a Thursday evening in Dublin, Ukraine's president sat with two American envoys who carried a long-sought promise: European delegates would join the next round of talks with Russia. It arrived after a week of stalled diplomacy, with Moscow's stance on territory unchanged and the war's shadow stretching over a continent that still feels its own security reshaped by the conflict. A single tangible gain emerged, a large prisoner exchange whose details remain unsettled, reminding that diplomacy in this war often moves in small, fragile steps.
On Thursday evening in Dublin, Volodymyr Zelensky met the American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at the close of a day spent travelling between capitals. Earlier they had been in Moscow with Vladimir Putin. They brought a pledge Zelensky had pursued for years: delegates from the European Union would be included in the next round of peace talks with Russia. Zelensky called it a chance for Europe to have a voice, given its stake in Ukraine's future and its own growing sense of threat.
The Moscow meeting produced little on substance. Putin told the envoys that Russia's position, including its demand for territory, had not changed. That followed talks in Abu Dhabi the previous week that ended without a breakthrough. Kushner said Putin was willing to try European participation, a notable shift from Moscow's earlier dismissiveness, while EU diplomat Kaja Kallas argued the presence signalled that Europe was now seen as a major player, though she doubted Russia was ready for a deal.
The one concrete result was an agreed prisoner exchange, the largest since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Kushner promised it would return thousands of people to their families, but no numbers or timetable have been given. Behind the diplomacy lies friction: Zelensky complained of tighter limits on Starshield, the military version of Starlink, which has left Ukraine struggling against Russian jet-powered drones. What comes next is whether Europe gains a formal seat and whether the exchange is confirmed.
On Thursday evening in Dublin, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky sat down with two American envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, at the end of a day spent shuttling between capitals. Earlier they had been in Moscow with Vladimir Putin. What they brought to Dublin was a pledge Zelensky had been seeking for years: delegates from the European Union would be included in the next round of peace talks with Russia.
Zelensky welcomed the commitment and said it would give the EU a "voice" in the negotiations. He has argued for several years that European participation makes sense, given Ukraine's longer-term ambition to join the bloc. The timing matters too, because European leaders voiced deepening security worries this week.
Kushner said the US has been working "very, very closely" with Europeans over the past several months, which he called very important. He told reporters he had stressed to Putin how important it is to have European delegates "at the table", and that the Russian leader is "willing to give it a try". Moscow has until now been dismissive of European involvement. Europeans, for their part, have long argued that they are central to any post-war arrangement on their own continent.
The Moscow leg offered no movement on substance. Putin told the envoys that Russia's position on the war, including its demand for territory, has not changed. That follows talks in Abu Dhabi last week that produced no breakthrough. Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat and a vice president of the European Commission, told the BBC's Newshour earlier on Thursday that a European delegate's presence showed the Kremlin "now realised that Europe is a big player". She also doubted that Russia was moving toward a peace deal.
There was one concrete result. Russia and Ukraine agreed another prisoner exchange, the largest since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Kushner said it would return "thousands of people to their families". He gave no figure for how many prisoners would be swapped and no timeline.
The European concern was on display in Dublin, where leaders had gathered. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the region's security had been "fundamentally reshaped" by Russia's war. Many EU member states, he said, feel an existential threat because of what has happened in Ukraine and the potential, if Ukraine were to fall, for further aggression on the continent. Roughly one-fifth of Ukraine remains under Russian control, and cross-border incursions are increasingly common.
There were also signs of friction between Kyiv and Washington before the meeting. Zelensky said the military faces more "systematic" restrictions on Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink satellite service, which left Ukraine struggling to intercept Russian jet-powered drones. The technology, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, has been vital to government and military connectivity in Ukraine and increasingly supports communication on the front line. Ukraine and Europe have long worried about the current US government's commitment to European security and its softening toward the Kremlin.
What to watch now is whether Europe gets a formal seat at the next round, and whether the size and timing of the prisoner exchange are confirmed.
Notable Quotes
He's willing to give it a try.— Jared Kushner, on Putin and European delegates at the table
Many member states feel an existential threat because of what has happened in Ukraine.— Micheál Martin, Irish Taoiseach
Want the full story?
Read the original at BBC ↗