Russia Began Secret Negotiations with Europe - Details Revealed

Russia is holding unofficial negotiations with EU representatives on ending the war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports. A closed meeting involved former officials from the UK, France, Germany, and Russia. There is no official confirmation. This is not the first such contact: in July, Aliyev mentioned a meeting between Germany and Russia. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry is skeptical about such contacts.

According to Bloomberg, Russia is holding unofficial negotiations with representatives of the European Union on possible ways to end the war in Ukraine. Last month, a closed round of talks took place with the participation of former high-ranking officials from the UK, France, Germany, and Russia. Among them were former UK National Security Adviser Tim Barrow, former German State Secretary Markus Ederer, and French diplomat Pierre Vimont. The identities of the Russian participants have not been disclosed. No country has given official confirmation. Such meetings are called 'second track' diplomacy—they have no official mandate but can convey ideas to current authorities. This is not the first such case: in July, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev reported a meeting between representatives of Germany and Russia on the country's territory. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has assessed the significance of such contacts skeptically, stating that they have virtually no impact on the prospects for ending the war.