Europe Holds Emergency Talks After Putin Signals Harder Line On Ukraine Peace Efforts

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – European leaders held an emergency call Tuesday after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would “revise” Russia’s negotiating position on ending the war in Ukraine following an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on his residence in Russia’s Novgorod region.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that Russia would “toughen” its stance in any peace talks after the alleged incident.

Ukraine rejected the claim. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia had “not provided any plausible evidence” and denied that such an attack occurred.

As tensions rose, European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, joined the emergency call with war-torn Ukraine, officials said.

“Our work to ensure robust security guarantees continues unabated,” Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said later on social media platform X. He added that Ukraine’s allies in the so-called Coalition of the Willing would convene next week.

Von der Leyen said it was vital for the 27-nation European Union to stand firmly behind Kyiv. “The prosperity of a free Ukrainian state lies in accession to the EU,” she said.

However, Hungary has emerged as one of the most outspoken opponents of Ukraine’s EU membership. The Hungarian government has cited concerns over corruption, economic and security risks, and the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities, including ethnic Hungarians living in Ukraine.

The latest exchanges highlighted the fragility of diplomatic efforts to end the war as fighting continues and positions on both sides harden.

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