US Envoys Brief Zelenskiy in Dublin as European Leaders Demand Role in Ukraine Talks

European leaders in Dublin insisted on a formal role in Ukraine peace negotiations as US envoys delivered an update from Moscow late Thursday night.

The European Political Community summit focused heavily on the war, with participants demanding a seat at any future talks to protect continental interests. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. They briefed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a session facilitated by the Irish Government.

Kushner stated that the US side argued for European inclusion during the Moscow meeting. He described the session with Putin as detailed and productive, noting that recent days had been very intense. Witkoff said the team was working hard to end the war on behalf of President Donald Trump but provided no specific details on progress.

Zelenskiy expressed gratitude to his negotiators, calling the outcome a real result. He claimed the American group made progress on the issue of European participation. The Ukrainian leader emphasized that Europe would be present during negotiations next week and would have a voice rather than just following separately. He noted that the war is in Europe and that the country will be a future EU member.

However, the Ukrainian delegation told allies they received no sense from earlier talks in Abu Dhabi that Russia had softened its maximalist aims. Two senior European sources briefed on the readouts said Putin did not appear genuinely interested in a settlement. Moscow has renewed its insistence that negotiations must cover broader questions regarding the continent's security architecture.

Several European leaders expressed fear that Putin seeks leverage to undermine NATO's presence on the eastern flank. Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters that the continent will not build a new security architecture simply because the Russian President or a US official wishes it. He described the US-brokered discussions as negotiations and called that term an exaggeration.

António Costa, the president of the European Council, stated at the final press conference that the future of European security can never be discussed without Europe. He added that he believes Americans accept a European voice at the table. Despite this, leaders remained divided on who would represent those interests if Europe gained a seat at the table.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the EU for seeming all over the place on Ukraine, urging the bloc to speak with a single voice. Costa denied divisions existed, while Taoiseach Micheál Martin described representing the European view as a team effort involving non-EU countries like the UK, Canada, and Norway.

A senior Brussels source said the focus on picking a dedicated envoy was premature. Any settlement would require input from EU institutions, NATO, and individual European countries. The prospect of a settlement appeared remote to many attendees.

The summit took place under a security lockdown that closed parts of Dublin city centre. Martin welcomed the leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and held bilateral meetings with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Approximately 1,000 people attended an anti-war protest in the city centre, where gardaí prevented them from reaching the conference venue and the National Gallery dinner. Two men were arrested for public order offenses after minor scuffles.