Europe considers two peace scenarios to propose to Putin
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on La Nouvelle Tribune
European leaders are considering proposing two scenarios to Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine: freezing the current front in exchange for Ukraine abandoning its NATO ambitions, or ceding the rest of Donbas while joining the Alliance. The move aims to open direct dialogue with Moscow, according to the Financial Times.
European leaders want to regain a direct role in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine and have already opened communication channels with Moscow, the Financial Times reported in a column published on 19 October 2026. They no longer want Washington to be Vladimir Putin’s sole interlocutor.
This shift comes as Donald Trump draws closer to the Kremlin. In September, the US president spoke to Putin by phone and asked him to end the war quickly, according to the Kremlin. In October, Washington agreed to buy…
The European push comes amid tensions with Washington over its policy towards Moscow. On 17 October, Donald Trump lifted US sanctions targeting Russian energy, then considered the return of Russian gas to Europe the following day. On 20 October, he suspended further sanctions to preserve negotiations. The suspension of US sanctions against Russia followed these decisions.
The European debate also follows Kyiv’s criticism on 19 October of a summit between Russia, China and the United States, which it said could prolong the war. Kyiv’s position on the summit highlights Ukrainian concerns about discussions held without Ukraine.
Updated 21 October 2026: Vladimir Putin received US envoy Steven Witkoff in Saint Petersburg on 21 October 2026 to discuss Ukraine, the Middle East, Iran and energy cooperation. Read: Putin and Witkoff discuss Ukraine and the Middle East in Russia.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
