Russia said on Friday it is open to dialogue with European countries but will not accept ultimatums, as signs grow that the European Union may seek to re-establish contacts with Moscow after largely limiting engagement since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said common sense required contact given the “enormous number” of complex issues, but argued that European governments must change their approach to Russia.
“The Europeans have a very serious misconception: They assume that negotiations with Russia must be conducted from a position of strength and based on Russia’s weakness. This is the biggest mistake… Such talk will lead nowhere,” Peskov said, adding: “Does this stem from European incompetence, misinformation, or stupidity? We don’t know for sure, but it’s a fact.”
He added that Vladimir Putin had repeatedly said he is open to talks with European governments, but that they should make the first move after cutting off ties. The European Union has imposed 20 rounds of sanctions on Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin said talks would go nowhere if Europe continued to assume Russian weakness, but acknowledged that diplomatic signals from Europe were increasing.
After more than a year of minimal engagement, the EU has begun cautiously reaching out to Russia. The office of European Council President Antonio Costa has made “brief contacts at diplomatic level” with the Kremlin in recent weeks to open communication channels, according to an EU official.
Christian Stocker also told the Financial Times that the EU should take advantage of momentum around Ukraine peace discussions to pursue renewed engagement with Putin.
However, Peskov said Russia would only engage if there was “real dialogue” and not “moralising or, especially, ultimatums,” noting that Costa’s outreach had exposed divisions within the EU, with some leaders saying it was not coordinated and that the bloc should instead focus on increasing pressure on Russia.
On the conflict itself, Ukraine has said it is gaining ground through intensified drone strikes deep inside Russia, targeting ports, refineries and other infrastructure. Moscow disputes this assessment and says it will continue fighting if no settlement is reached.
The governor of the Moscow region said an eight-year-old girl was killed in a large Ukrainian drone attack a day earlier, which hit the capital and surrounding area. The attack involved hundreds of drones and set fire for the second time in three days to a major oil refinery in southeast Moscow.
“Indeed, drone attacks continue. Appropriate measures are being taken to mitigate the consequences,” Peskov said.
When asked about footage of the burning refinery, Peskov urged reporters to also examine images from Ukrainian cities struck by Russian forces.
“These strikes will continue,” he added.
