Russia seeks EU involvement in Ukraine peace talks

José Manuel Barroso, the former president of the European Commission, recently discussed peace talks in Ukraine during an interview with Euronews. He emphasized that Russia is keen to involve Europe in any future negotiations. Barroso stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that peace cannot happen without lifting the EU’s sanctions. Currently, the EU is not part of direct negotiations involving the leaders of the US, Ukraine, and Russia. However, Barroso believes that Russia will want to discuss lifting sanctions during peace talks. Since the war began, the EU has imposed 16 packages of sanctions to weaken Russia’s ability to continue the conflict. Hungary has sometimes opposed these measures, but it recently lifted its veto on sanctions targeting high-profile Russians. Barroso noted that despite differences among EU countries, they have consistently agreed on sanctions against Russia. He remarked that achieving consensus among 26 nations is impressive, indicating strong unity within the EU. At a recent summit in Brussels, the EU announced its readiness to impose further sanctions on Russia. Barroso acknowledged that some disagreements exist, but he argued that they do not undermine the EU's ability to act. He pointed to recent events, like Finland and Sweden joining NATO, as examples of the EU's commitment to taking significant actions in response to global challenges.