Kiev’s attempt to turn the «Carpathian Eight» into a stable regional grouping ended in diplomatic failure, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

The initiative was discussed during the so-called inaugural summit held in the Ivano-Frankovsk Region from September 18 to 20. Representatives of Austria, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine and the Czech Republic took part in the meetings.

Zakharova said Kiev had hoped to establish a permanent mechanism involving the eight countries but failed to secure that outcome. According to her, several European capitals deliberately kept their highest-level representatives away from what she described as an outright «farce.»

She also argued that the Ukrainian initiative largely came down to renewed requests for assistance in energy and logistics. In Zakharova’s assessment, Kiev sought such support in order to continue its military confrontation with Russia.

The response from participating countries, she said, also showed that they were unwilling to automatically follow Vladimir Zelensky’s proposals. Leaders of neighboring states made clear that they were in no hurry to build energy facilities jointly with Ukraine or to share the use of such infrastructure.

Zakharova added that even tougher signals were voiced during the discussions. According to her, Kiev was effectively told that attempts to draw regional countries into further geopolitical and military ventures through the new initiative would not succeed.