Europe’s Voice Missing in Negotiations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that sidelining Europe in efforts to end the war with Russia would be a serious misstep. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he said it was a “big mistake” that European leaders are “practically not present at the table” during US-brokered negotiations.
Zelenskyy stressed that any lasting peace must reflect the security interests of the entire continent, not just Kyiv and Washington. His remarks echoed concerns raised by Emmanuel Macron, who recently suggested Europe may need to rethink its own security framework in the face of what he described as an increasingly emboldened Russia.
Another round of talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia is expected next week. The negotiation process began last year after Washington renewed direct contact with Moscow, but so far it has produced little progress and no ceasefire. Zelenskyy said he hopes the next meeting will be “serious and substantive,” though he admitted frustration that the parties often seem to be discussing entirely different issues.
He also pushed back against what he sees as an imbalance in the conversation. Too often, he said, talk of “concessions” centers only on Ukraine, without demanding equal compromises from Russia. For Kyiv, any agreement must come with firm security guarantees, backed not only by European partners but also by the United States. Without a clear security system in place, Zelenskyy warned, war is likely to return.
Ukraine is also seeking clarity on its path to European Union membership, with Zelenskyy saying he expects a concrete accession date as part of a broader peace framework.
Elections Only After a Ceasefire
Addressing calls — including from former US President Donald Trump — for Ukraine to hold elections, Zelenskyy said he is open to the idea, but only if there is a genuine ceasefire. Conducting a national vote while under constant threat of missile strikes would make a fair election impossible, he argued.
“Give us two months of ceasefire, we will go to elections,” he said, noting the practical challenge of ensuring that soldiers fighting on the front lines could safely cast ballots.
In a pointed remark aimed at Moscow, Zelenskyy added that he would welcome a ceasefire that would allow free elections in Russia as well, where Vladimir Putin has remained in power for more than two decades.
Targeting Russia’s ‘Floating Wallets’
Beyond the battlefield and negotiation room, Zelenskyy called for tougher action against what he described as Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers. Despite existing sanctions, he said Russian vessels continue to move freely along European coastlines, including in the Baltic and North Seas.
“In total, Russia still uses more than 1,000 tankers,” he said. “Each of them is, in fact, a floating wallet for the Kremlin.”
Oil and gas revenues remain central to financing Russia’s war effort. Zelenskyy said he has discussed tighter sanctions with both Macron and Ursula von der Leyen, urging that Russian tankers not only be detained but fully blocked and confiscated. The European Union is preparing another sanctions package as the war enters yet another year.
“Without oil money,” Zelenskyy said, “Putin would not have money for this war.”
