Kyiv pushes for ‘re-energised’ European security alliance amid dwindling confidence in US-led negotiations

Joe Barnes Brussels Correspondent. 

Connor Stringer Chief Washington Correspondent

Published 19 May 2026

Ukraine has turned to Britain, France and Germany to lead a renewed push for peace and take advantage of a strengthened position on the battlefield.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, wants to resume talks to end the conflict as Russia faces mounting casualties on the frontlines and pressure on its economy.

Diplomatic sources told The Telegraph that Mr Zelensky sees potential in “re-energising” the so-called E3 format, an informal security alliance comprising Britain, France and Germany, to act as a peacemaker.

Kyiv believes that US-mediated negotiations have run their course because Donald Trump has become increasingly distracted by his war with Iran.

Engaging the E3 to lead on mediation is one of several initiatives being pursued by the Ukrainian president to bolster Europe’s role at the negotiating table.

The Ukrainian leader raised the possibility of an “E3 plus Ukraine” format to coordinate potential ideas during a phone call with France’s Emmanuel Macron last weekend.

After the call, Mr Zelensky said he was in talks with London, Paris and Berlin over how to give the mini alliance “greater substance”.

An E3 source confirmed that talks were ongoing but said no concrete plans had been reached for direct talks with Moscow.

Ukrainian officials believe there is a window of opportunity to broker a series of deals on an equal footing with Russia as pressure continues to build on Vladimir Putin.

The leadership in Kyiv is in a buoyant mood after its military found a way to breach the ring of air defences around Moscow in drone strikes on factories and oil refineries.

The Kremlin was forced to ask for a temporary truce to protect Moscow’s May 9 military parade from long-range Ukrainian attacks.

Under pressure from Mr Trump, Mr Zelensky eventually relented to requests for the three-day ceasefire by issuing a mocking presidential decree to “permit the holding of the parade”.

At home, Putin has found himself increasingly isolated, with his security stepped up because of assassination fears.

Even one of his closest allies, China’s president Xi Jinping, told Mr Trump that the Russian president might end up regretting his full-scale invasion, the Financial Times reported.

In an unusual turn of events, seen as positive in Kyiv, the Russian president referred to Mr Zelensky by name, suggesting he would be prepared to meet to sign a peace deal.

Normally, Putin refuses to name the Ukrainian president because the Kremlin dictator does not see him as a legitimate leader.

On the battlefield in Ukraine, Russia has struggled to make any significant gains despite spending months on the offensive.

Moscow’s forces are losing about 35,000 men a month, killed or wounded, and are unable to recruit enough soldiers to plug the gaps.

In a further sign of Mr Zelensky’s growing confidence after the recent strikes on Moscow, he has proposed a possible “airport ceasefire” in talks with EU allies.

Under the plan, Brussels would attempt to negotiate a mini-truce covering commercial airports over the summer months.

It is believed that such a deal would test Putin’s appetite for a wider ceasefire because there are still doubts over his true intentions in Kyiv.

Ukrainian officials want an EU negotiator to stress that a truce would be in the Kremlin’s interest because Kyiv’s armed forces now have the ability to “destroy” the holiday season for Russians, a source familiar with the discussions told The Telegraph.

Interrupting the travel plans of ordinary Russians is seen as a way to ratchet up pressure on Putin to come to the negotiating table in good faith.

So far, Kyiv has rejected any Russian proposals for a ceasefire because they involved demands for Ukrainian troops to be withdrawn from Donbas, the frontline region mostly controlled by Russian forces.

But with successes under his belt, a lack of pressure from Mr Trump to conclude a deal and Europe’s backing, Mr Zelensky believes he can shape ceasefire arrangements that he can sell to his voters.