The President of the European Council, António Costa, has initiated contact with the Kremlin, marking the first direct communication from Brussels to Moscow in over four years. This move aims to involve the European Union in potential peace negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The outreach comes amid concerns within the EU that it may be sidelined as the United States prepares a new effort to broker a resolution. Costa has reportedly been consulting with European leaders about re-establishing communication channels with Russia, with preliminary discussions already underway with Russian officials. The outcome of these initial contacts remains unclear. Ukrainian President Zelensky is currently in Brussels for a two-day EU summit, where he has urged European leaders to take a more active role in peace efforts. German Foreign Minister Wadephul expressed optimism about the possibility of talks this summer, citing a lack of clear advantage for either side in the conflict.