EU is unwilling to invest in Ukraine peace process — US expert on Putin's remarks

On May 11, 2026, Russia's President Putin floated Gerhard Schröder, described in headlines as the 82-year-old former German chancellor, as a mediator for peace talks in Ukraine. The EU's Kallas rejected the idea, and the EU said Schröder 'would sit on both sides'. Kyiv Post wrote that Berlin called it a 'bogus offer'. TASS quoted a US expert as saying the EU is unwilling to invest in the Ukraine peace process.

Other developments included Finland's president saying Europe must talk directly to Russia, and China's foreign ministry saying it maintains its position on resolving the Ukraine crisis. Ukraine's anti-corruption authorities opened a major probe targeting Zelensky's former chief of staff Andriy Yermak. Lenta.ru wrote that Ukraine proposed stopping strikes on airports.