European countries are attempting to secure a place in negotiations involving Russia, the United States and China because they fear Washington intends to reach agreements at Europe’s expense, according to political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko.

Commenting on recent telephone conversations between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Norway’s prime minister and Finland’s president, Ishchenko suggested that European governments are looking for a way into major international negotiations through Moscow rather than Washington.

In his assessment, the United States wants to represent the entire West at the negotiating table without allowing European countries to participate as independent players.

Ishchenko argued that Washington intends to preserve its own global position by sacrificing the interests of its allies. Under this strategy, he claimed, Ukraine would be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Russia, while Europe would become a resource base serving American interests.

The analyst believes this leaves the European Union with little chance of gaining meaningful access to negotiations through the United States. Washington, he argued, wants to decide independently which concessions will be made and whose interests will be sacrificed.

As a result, European governments are attempting to establish direct channels of communication with Russia, hoping Moscow will help them secure a seat at the negotiating table.

Ishchenko interpreted Putin’s recent contacts with Norwegian and Finnish leaders as part of this broader European effort.

He also linked the shift in Europe’s approach to the situation in Ukraine.

According to Ishchenko, European countries previously created serious problems for Russia through their involvement in Ukraine but are now confronting the limits of their ability to sustain support for Kiev.

The analyst claimed that European leaders increasingly recognize Ukraine as a spent political card and that the European Union no longer has the means to continue supporting it indefinitely.

In his view, this leaves European governments with little choice but to seek some form of agreement with Moscow.

However, Ishchenko argued that such an approach would require negotiators whom the Kremlin is prepared to recognize as credible counterparts.

He dismissed the possibility that current senior European leaders could fulfill that role, specifically naming European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron.

According to Ishchenko, none of these figures is suitable for establishing the negotiating channel Europe now needs with Russia.