Ukraine war briefing: France, Germany and UK make push in Moscow for peace talks

What Happened

On Thursday, the British, French and German ambassadors to Russia met with Russian foreign ministry officials in Moscow to convey the E3 leaders' call for direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, following a London meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Russian side accused the three countries of a 'destructive' policy aimed at continuing the war. Concurrently, Ukrainian drone forces intensified strikes along the R-280 corridor—the 'highway of death'—which is a vital Russian supply route from Rostov-on-Don through occupied territories to Crimea. Commander Robert Brovdi reported a 71% drop in military cargo traffic over the past two weeks. The Chonhar Bridge, linking occupied Kherson to Crimea, sustained 'critical' damage and was closed after drone attacks. In Crimea, fuel stations in Sevastopol and Yevpatoriya ran out of petrol; Moscow-installed Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhaev confirmed that Ukrainian strikes had disrupted fuel deliveries by road, rail and sea barge, and rationing was in effect. Ukrainian forces also hit the town of Armiansk, destroying fuel and ammunition trucks, and sparked a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery in southern Russia. A separate Russian drone strike on a railway depot in Konotop, Sumy region, killed one worker and injured four. Russia's deputy prime minister called for a forecasting system to manage fuel shortages, which were officially confirmed in Crimea and two Siberian regions.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The E3 diplomatic push, though rebuffed by Moscow, signals European powers attempting to reshape negotiations as US-led talks stall and Russia prefers a Trump-brokered framework. Simultaneously, Ukraine's systematic interdiction of the R-280 corridor and Chonhar Bridge is degrading Russian logistics in southern occupied territories, causing acute fuel crises in Crimea and exposing vulnerabilities in Russia's overland supply chain to the peninsula. This dual pressure—diplomatic and kinetic—could alter the operational tempo and political calculus ahead of expected summer offensives.

Watch For

Whether the E3 initiative gains traction despite Kremlin hostility, especially if European leaders press a parallel track; further Ukrainian drone strikes on the Chonhar Bridge and R-280, including any permanent severing of the Crimea land bridge; official Russian acknowledgement of wider fuel shortages and their impact on military logistics; and potential Russian countermeasures to protect convoys, such as deploying additional air defences or shifting to maritime supply routes.