Former diplomats from Great Britain, France, Germany and Russia held informal talks in Vienna on war in Ukraine, - Bloomberg
An informal meeting of former high-ranking officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Russia took place in Vienna in July, during which they discussed possible conditions for future peace talks regarding the war in Ukraine.
According to Censor.NET, Bloomberg reports this, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.
Who attended the meeting?
According to the agency, the talks were attended by Tim Barrow, former national security adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Markus Ederer, former State Secretary at the German Foreign Ministry, and French diplomat Pierre Vimon. Sources have not disclosed the name of the former Kremlin representative who was present at the meeting.
Bloomberg notes that this involved a form of so-called "track-two diplomacy," in which former officials and experts without an official mandate exchange ideas that may later be conveyed to governments.
The initiative was launched by a Swiss center
According to the agency’s sources, the meeting was organized by the Swiss Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), which specializes in informal mediation in the resolution of international conflicts.
The center confirmed its willingness to support such dialogue initiatives, noting that they are often held without official government participation in order to preserve the opportunity for a frank exchange of views.
Europe is seeking channels of communication with the Kremlin
As Bloomberg notes, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have been working with Ukraine in recent months to explore the possibility of establishing a direct channel of communication with the Kremlin. At the same time, there are currently no signs that Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate with European leaders.
According to the agency, Russia continues to view the U.S. as the main mediator in potential negotiations to end the war. The negotiation process involving Washington effectively reached an impasse back in February, after the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump shifted its focus to the crisis surrounding Iran.
