US EditionTop European spies sceptical US will clinch Ukraine peace deal this year: Report
European intelligence chiefs say Russia uses US-mediated talks to pursue sanctions relief and strategic goals, showing little interest in a quick peace deal in 2026.
- On February 17, 2026, European intelligence chiefs told Reuters they are pessimistic about a 2026 peace deal after Geneva talks produced no breakthrough, despite President Donald Trump's claim the deal is reasonably close.
- European chiefs say Russia does not want a quick war end and uses talks to seek sanctions relief and business deals while pursuing goals including removing President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
- Negotiators hit concrete sticking points when Kyiv refused Moscow's demand to withdraw from 20% of Donetsk, while Ukrainian intelligence reported U.S. leaders discussed $12 trillion deals with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
- Intelligence officials note Russia remains a priority target, warning that ceding Donetsk could trigger further demands amid Russia's 1% growth last year and 15.5% key interest rate.
- Politically, intelligence warns of very high financial risks for Russia in the second half of 2026, citing limited market access and high borrowing costs, even as officials say offers may appeal to President Donald Trump and Russian oligarchs.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Directors of five European intelligence agencies said that Russia does not want to end the war quickly.
Reuters exclusive: Top European spies skeptical U.S. will clinch Ukraine peace deal this year
European intelligence chiefs are pessimistic about the chances of an agreement being reached this year to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite Donald Trump’s assertions that U.S.-brokered talks have brought the prospect of a deal “reasonably close.”
Exclusive: Top European spies sceptical US will clinch Ukraine peace deal this year
European intelligence chiefs are pessimistic about the chances of an agreement being reached this year to end Russia's war in Ukraine, despite Donald Trump's assertions that U.S.-brokered talks have brought the prospect of a deal "reasonably close".
European intelligence chiefs are pessimistic about the chances of reaching an agreement this year to end Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, despite Donald Trump's claims that US-brokered talks have brought the prospect of a deal quite close.
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- 54% of the sources are Center
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