NYT: Europe is working on an alternative format for peace talks in Ukraine

European countries fear that US President Donald Trump may exclude them from talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war. So France, Germany and the UK are working on a new format for negotiations that would include Europe.

This was reported to The New York Times by five European officials.

Sources say France and Germany are leading the way in shaping a common European position. Britain, which recently had a new prime minister, is acting more cautiously, partly out of fear of straining relations with Trump.

There is little sign yet that Putin is ready for serious talks. Europeans expect the United States to lead any talks with Russia on Ukraine. But the issues of resolving the war in Ukraine and relations with Russia are too important for Europe to leave indefinitely to the Trump administration, which officials say is becoming increasingly unpredictable. They want to prevent Washington and Moscow from making a deal behind Europe’s back.

Western officials and analysts expect the war to become even more devastating as Putin prepares for a winter offensive against Ukrainian positions and civilian infrastructure amid Ukraineʼs acute shortage of air defenses. Some experts expect that Putin may announce a limited but unpopular mobilization after Russiaʼs parliamentary elections in mid-September.

Some also fear that Putin, feeling cornered, may escalate the war further and test NATOʼs unity by continuing existing hybrid attacks in Europe.

Britain, France and Germany believe they should be the main European negotiators in support of Ukraine. The three countries, known as the “E3”, are the core of the “Coalition of the Willing” supporting Ukraine. They have already developed options for military and security guarantees for Ukraine after the war ends.

At the same time, Poland, Italy and the Nordic countries also need to be consulted, and the EU should be kept informed and eventually involved in the negotiations. Some smaller countries, especially Russiaʼs and Ukraineʼs neighbors, such as the Baltic states and Hungary, do not fully trust France and Germany to represent their interests.

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