A German official said on the 3rd of June that there was an emergence of opportunities for a European-Russian dialogue on Ukraine, and it was important to create a format that was both as effective as possible and legitimate for Europeans, Reuters reports.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that there were strong indications that the E3 group of countries – Germany, France and Britain – would continue to play a key role in the matter.
The Russian advance in Ukraine has slowed this year, and Ukrainian troops are expected to increase pressure on the battlefield and launch an intensive offensive campaign inside Russia. On the 3rd of June, Ukrainians attacked the port of St. Petersburg ahead of an economic summit hosted by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
The head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office has said that
a ceasefire agreement looks possible and could be reached by winter.
The German official said that the recent escalation of hostilities suggests that the process of building a dialogue will take months, not weeks, and is key to ensuring that the talks proceed in a way that is acceptable to Ukraine. He added that cooperation with the United States, not competition with it, remains the main guiding principle. Washington-led peace talks in Ukraine have stalled since the start of the war in Iran, as the Americans focus on the Middle East.
German and other European capitals have rejected Putin’s suggestion that Kremlin-friendly former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder could represent Europe in talks with Russia.
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