UK Rejects French And Italian Offer To Start Talks With Putin
- 16.01.2026, 9:59
There is no evidence that the Kremlin really wants peace.
Britain does not support a proposal by the leaders of France and Italy to start talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine, British Foreign Minister Ivette Cooper said. "I think we need evidence that Putin really wants peace, and at the moment I don't see that," Cooper told Politico. She said Ukraine is working with the US and Europe on a peace plan, but Putin is still not ready to come to the negotiating table. In this regard, Cooper called for increased pressure on Moscow through economic sanctions and military support for Kiev.
Before that, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly called for opening diplomatic channels of communication with Putin, despite the fact that U.S.-initiated talks have "reached an impasse." Against this background, according to Politico's source, EU countries have begun discussing the possibility of creating the position of a special representative to negotiate with Russia on Ukraine. The publication's interlocutors specified that the initiative is aimed at preventing a situation in which "the United States would make a deal with Russia behind its back." At the same time, supporters of the idea believe that the presence of the EU special envoy at the negotiating table will make it possible to defend key positions, including Ukraine's future membership in NATO.
The day before, on January 15, Putin said at the ceremony of accepting credentials of foreign ambassadors that Europe would sooner or later return "to normal constructive communication on the principles of respect for national interests, taking into account security concerns." According to him, "peace does not come on its own" - it is built every day by people themselves. "Peace requires effort, responsibility and awareness and informed choice. The relevance of this is obvious," Putin said.
The Foreign Ministry said earlier that the EU would have to reconsider its approach to Russia, as Brussels' sanctions policy against Moscow was harming the union itself. The ministry expressed hope that the dialog would be restored after a change in the composition of the European Commission, which has its own "expiration date."