Meloni Urges Europe to Reopen Dialogue With Russia, Says G8 Return Talks Premature

Europe : Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday said Europe should resume direct engagement with Russia as part of intensifying diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine, while firmly rejecting any near-term discussion on Moscow’s return to the Group of Eight (G8) major economies.

Speaking at her annual New Year’s press conference in Rome, Meloni warned that Europe risks marginalising itself in peace negotiations if it chooses to engage with only one side of the conflict. Her remarks come as international diplomatic activity has gathered momentum since November, with Western capitals increasingly focused on exploring political pathways to end the war, now approaching its fourth year.

Alignment With Macron on Russia Talks

Meloni said she shared the view recently expressed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has argued that dialogue with Moscow will be essential if Europe is to play a meaningful role in ending the conflict.

“I believe Macron is right,” Meloni said. “The moment has arrived for Europe to also engage with Russia.”

She stressed that engagement does not equal concession, but is necessary to ensure Europe remains a credible and influential actor at the negotiating table.

Europe’s Role in Peace Negotiations

The Italian leader cautioned that Europe’s diplomatic contribution would be weakened if it limited its engagement to Kyiv alone. “If Europe decides to participate in this phase of talks by speaking solely to one of the two parties, I fear its contribution will ultimately be limited,” she said.

Despite renewed international momentum, Russia has shown no public readiness to compromise. Ukraine has pushed for changes to a US-backed proposal floated in November, arguing it largely reflected Russia’s core demands. Moscow has also offered no indication it would accept a peace settlement that includes security guarantees for Ukraine, such as the deployment of Western troops on Ukrainian territory.

Call for a Single EU Envoy

Meloni criticised what she described as fragmented European diplomacy and urged the European Union to appoint a single envoy to deal directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“If we were to make the mistake of reopening dialogue with Russia while proceeding in a disorganised way, we would be doing Putin a favour,” she said. “From the start there have been too many voices and too many formats.”

She argued that a unified EU position would strengthen Europe’s credibility, coherence, and negotiating leverage.

G8 Readmission ‘Absolutely Premature’

Addressing proposals raised by the United States in November suggesting Russia could be readmitted to the Group of Seven (G7), effectively reviving the G8, Meloni dismissed such discussions outright.

“It is absolutely premature to talk about welcoming Russia back into the G7,” she said. Russia was expelled from the group in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea.

Italy Rules Out Troop Deployment

Meloni also reiterated that Italy has no intention of sending troops to Ukraine to help guarantee any future peace agreement. Her stance contrasts with recent moves by some European partners. France and Britain last month signed a declaration of intent outlining plans for the possible deployment of multinational forces in Ukraine once a ceasefire is reached.

While reaffirming Italy’s continued support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Meloni underlined that Europe is entering a delicate diplomatic phase. Her comments highlight a deepening debate within Europe over how to balance military support for Kyiv with renewed engagement with Moscow as pressure grows to find a negotiated end to the conflict.