France, Germany, and the United Kingdom are preparing a plan in case negotiations occur, although little indicates that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be ready for serious peace talks anytime soon, diplomats and experts note. The publication points out that France and Germany play a leading role in developing the European position, while the United Kingdom is wavering, partly due to concerns about its relationship with Trump. "The resolution of the situation in Ukraine and relations with Russia are too important for Europe to be left indefinitely to the Trump administration, which appears increasingly unpredictable. Europeans want to be assured that Washington and Moscow will not strike any deals over their heads," NYT writes. ## Predictions for the War Western officials and analysts expect the war to become more destructive as Putin is set to intensify attacks on Ukrainian positions and civilian infrastructure. Some anticipate that Putin will order a modest, albeit unpopular, mobilization of new troops, but only after the parliamentary elections in mid-September. Others even fear that Putin, feeling cornered, may attempt to escalate the war and test NATO's solidarity, in addition to hybrid attacks in Europe. Earlier, Putin stated that Russia must gain full control over Donbas, and this could become a turning point for negotiations, the publication writes: "If the Russians cannot achieve this by the fall of 2027, officials and analysts say, negotiations will become more likely. And key decisions must be made in advance." ## Who Will Be at the Forefront of Negotiations The United Kingdom, France, and Germany believe they should be the main negotiators in support of Ukraine, three European officials stated. They are at the heart of the 'coalition of the willing' supporting Ukraine and have developed options for military guarantees and security assurances for the country after a settlement. At the same time, officials say some smaller countries, particularly those neighboring Russia and Ukraine, such as the Baltic states and Hungary, do not fully trust Germany and France to represent their interests. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that the three countries are acting "at Ukraine's direct request." He added: "The United Kingdom, Germany, and France are working closely together; these are major European states, and they are making significant contributions to military support for Ukraine." ## Russia's Position in Negotiations Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine had presented American negotiators with proposals for a plan to end the war with Russia. Also, on August 13, Reuters reported that Ukraine proposed that Russia cease strikes in the Black Sea. At the same time, the Kremlin continues to consistently reject any significant proposals for a ceasefire. The ISW notes that this is done, in part, to unite the Russian public around a pro-war platform ahead of the State Duma elections.
