The Kremlin has issued a warning that recent amendments by European and Ukrainian negotiators to a US-drafted peace proposal are counterproductive, casting a shadow over diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict. This criticism comes amidst a parallel track of what Russian officials describe as constructive direct talks with American envoys, highlighting a growing rift in the international approach to negotiations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, stated clearly that changes proposed by European and Ukrainian officials do not improve the prospects for a lasting peace. "I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document," Ushakov told reporters in Moscow. He emphasized that his assessment was based on the direction of the amendments, even though he had not yet seen the final written proposals. The original US proposals, leaked last month, had already raised concerns in Kyiv and European capitals for being perceived as too favorable to Moscow.
The criticism of European input stands in contrast to Russia's portrayal of its direct communications with the United States. Putin's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, met with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior advisor Jared Kushner in Florida over the weekend. Following the talks, Dmitriev described the discussions as "constructive" and confirmed they would continue. Ushakov indicated that Dmitriev would return to Moscow to report to President Putin, after which Russia would finalize its official position for future contacts with the Americans.
The Kremlin also downplayed a separate proposal for three-way talks involving the US, Ukraine, and Russia, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had conditionally backed. Ushakov stated that such a format "had not been seriously discussed by anyone" and was not actively being worked on. Russian officials argue that European leaders are introducing conditions they know to be unacceptable to Moscow, potentially to scuttle the peace process entirely. This perspective frames European involvement not as a pursuit of peace, but as an attempt to prolong the conflict.
With envoy Dmitriev's report pending, the Kremlin is preparing to formulate its next steps. The core Russian position for ending the war remains unchanged, centered on Ukraine abandoning NATO ambitions and withdrawing from regions Russia claims as its own. The divergent narratives of productive US-Russia channels versus obstructive European amendments set the stage for a critical phase in diplomacy, where the alignment of international parties will be as crucial as the terms on the page.